The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-11-18

other Cnar4eS. ne prosecutor
ing the five men now on trial.
Beaten in Elections.
:, The prosecutions lawyers and
representatives of the Illinois Cham
Der of Commerce are chagrined over
the results of the election for county
:. officials. Sheriff Thaxton, upon
whom the attack Of the chamber Gen.
tered because Of his alleged friend
ship for the miners was elected
, county treasurer by an overwhelm-
ing majority, running ahead of his
ticket which was swept into office
by the miners votes. The candidates
for office backed by the Illinois
Chamber Of Commerce were routed
in every instance.
From isolated farm houses to
every part of Williamson county the
talesmen for the jury in the Herrin
trials which began in the circuit
court Friday have come to town in
: wagons, buggies and coughing little
fords. There are 13O of them, and
r. their teams occupy every inch of
space along the new hitchracks of
the Marion association building.
Mostly Americans.
They are slow-speaking, shrewd,
level-headed Americans for the most
part, with years Of struggle with
barren soil behind them and pene-
trating knowledge Of human nature
and it's workings that comes to those
who are forced to earn living by
the sweat of their brows.
One by one they are taking their
places before the lawyers tfOr the
defense and the prosecution in one
OF the most important trials in the
history of organized labor. If their
opinions about the so-called Herrin
weight Of evidence one way or the
other will sway them they will be
at liberty to go back to their farms.
1t may very well take month or
more to find twelve men who have
not ,prejudged the guflfs Or inno-
cence OF the miners to be tried for
their alleged participation in, the
events that occurred round about
the Lester strip mine on June %,
last.
Large Crowd for Opening.
When Judge Dewitt T.. Hartwell
opened court he looked out across
a crowd that filled every inch of
the dingy room. In front, of him
were the defendants with their coun-
sci, Angus w. Kerr, head of the
legal department of the Illinois Mine
Workers, and Rufus Nicely Of Ma
rion, who is examining the jurors
for the defense. Opposite them sat
States Attorney Delos Duty and C.
w. Middlekauf, who are conducting
the case for the prosecution. News
papermen from st. Louis and Chi
cago-a and representatives of the great
wire services, together with CORE
spondents from the labor press oc-
cupied the front benches and backsOf
them miners in blue shirts,and over
alls sat cheek by jowl with business
men and lawyers arc members of
the chamber of commerce come
down to see how their campaign
against organized labor was prog
ressing.
Dcnouncc "Open Shoppers"
These latt"::' found small comfort
in the attitude of the local business
, mems association. The Greater Ma
rion association wants it known once
and for all time that it has nothing
to do with the campaign for the
"open shop" that is being waged by
the Illinois chamber of commerce
under the guise of helping in the
>f INA
ious is the association to make its
position clear that it sent a COM
munication to the Marion Daily Re-
: publican signed by it's secretary, and
reading in part as follows: go,
TT has been brought to the at
tention Of the Greater Marion asso-
citation was member Of the Illinois
spreading broadcast the infOrma-
ton that the Greater Marion asso-
citation was a member Of the Illinois
Chamber of Commerce and was op-
= posed to organized labor and was
helping in the fight for the open
shop policy advocated by the Illi-
hois Chamber Of Commerce.
Local G. of C. Denounces State Body
THAT this is an absolute false
hood is known by the majority of
citizens Of Marion and Of William
son county. Not over two months
ago the Greater Marion association
adpted resolutions in favor of or
ganized labor and the same were
published by the Daily Republican
and the Evening Post of Maroin. A
short time later, when the Illinois
Chamber Of Commerce began to
dabble into the affairs Of this
county in the raising of funds for
the attorney generals office. this
association came out with several
lengthy statements scoring the 1lli-
!: nois Chamber of Commerce for the
.,manner in which it was attempting
to raise funds for the prosecution
Of the mine riot cases. The Greater
Marion association resented the
filthy and untrue literature which
the Illinois Chamber of Commerce
was sending through the mails and
the statements .,., it fir. was making
.k (continued on page ~ E3
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