Evening star., 1922-06-25


mines cannot be tolerated. Fear was
expressed by these federal officials.
who have followed the strike from
its inception, that unless the adminis-
tration or state officials Of Illinois
take drastic action to check such
violence, a recurrence Of such an
outbreak possibly might occur In
other strike areas. To prevent such
contingency, however. it was ex-
planned that steps possibly would be
contemplated as to how best to meet
the issue.
Borah Raises Question.
Senator Myers statement regard
ing the reasons for the men who
were killed being in the district
brought from Senator Borah. repub-
lican. Idaho, an inquiry as to whether
they were there in good faith or as
strikebreakers." The Montana SEN
ator replied that it made no difference.
I'VE call this free America, ne
continued, land as free American citl-
zens those men were attempting TO
sell what they had to dispose or
their labor. They found men VINO
wanted to buy that labor. The price
was arranged The men went to
work. They have a constitutional
right to be protected in that work.
Their employers have the right to be
protected in hiring them.
mo one doubts the right OF men TO
fere with the rights of others to seek
to do that work, and no one should
interfere with the right of the en-
ployers to hire other workers.
Had Right of Protection.
Senator Borah declared that general
conditions should be taken into ac-
count. Mine owners. he said, shouid
have known by experience what the
results of other attempts to use
strikebreakers have been, but added
that even as strikebreakers the WORK
ers had the right of protection;
Senator Myers returned that the law
presumed the men went there to earn
living He said they were not all of
the type of strikebreakers. citing re-
ports that one of them was mayors
son and former university student
And besides all of this" he said.
not only the right but the duty of the
mine owners to keep those mines
open and running, to keep producing
coal"
Conditions leading up to the mas
sacre were not known, the Montana
senator said, but he recounted how,
kuoting news dispatches. the en-
ployeeS of the mines were attacked
forty or fifty by 5000. he said-and
asked where there was in that sit
uation any justification for the as
sumption that American citizens are
80 INn
men had committed murder or arson
or larceny. none had betrayed or
outraged the women of the land nor
were they guilty of riotfng or dyna-
hitting, and he therefore could reach
no conclusion concerning their
crimes" except that they were at
tempting tosearn a living.
Blames "OrEanized Minority"
The Herrin outrage, Senator Myers
declared, was the result of the domi-
nance of an organized minority, of
which. he added, there were many in
the country
ut is the greatest menace that con-
fronts the American people today"
he said. these organized minorities
can come to Congress and get nearly
anything they want by shaking the
cent of American legislation in state
legislatures and Congress Is made at
the behest of an organized minority"
Senator Walsh, democrat, Massa-
chusetts, asked for suggestions of a
remedy. and Senator Myers replied:
"Backboned public men,"
Senator Myers agreed with Senator
Bursum, republican, New Mexico. that
the Illinois authorities were lax in
maintaining protection for the work
ers and order in Herrin.
The fault was the failure of the
government Of the state Of Illinois
to do its duty" said Senator Bursum.
Derelection Is Seen.
Undoubtedly there was dereliction
on the part of the state authorities" "
said Senator Myers. adding:
"They will be derelict further.
predict that there will be no punish
ment for these outrages. There will
be a grand jury. but on it will be
business men who fear a boycott Of
their business and men who seek
election. 1t will be passed over only
to serve to incite others to like
crimes"
Senator Myers declared vigorously
against federal Intervention to settle
the coal strike, which he said, he had
seen was under consideration.
THAT is the worst thing that could