The Connecticut labor news., 1923-03-02
By International Labor News Service.

By International Labor News Service.
 Washington, D. C., March 2.-Hav- ing under ConSidratlOn reports con corning the mob outrage in North Arkansas in the four counties tra- versed by the Missouri. and North Arkansas Railroad, the executive council of the American Federation ot Labor expressed deep regret that the facts concerning the outrage had not been more adequately presented to the public.
 "It is a regrettable fact" said statement issued by the executive council, that most of the American newspapers have found 1t either in advisable or impossible for one req son or another to adequately report the tragic and deplorable outrage Ill North Arkansas.
 "The astounding fact is that for more than a month duly elected civil government has not been able to function in most of the more inn portant communities in the tour counties affected. This is situation almost without precedent.
 "On January Is well organized mob took possession of several com munities and rapidly extended its authority over practically the entire territory ot the four counties, The entire purpose of the mob was to banish trade unionism from its do- main. The mob was determined that no member of the railroad shop craft unions should be left within it's juris- diction and it rapidly proceeded to give effect to this purpose An ln- ouisition was established and union men were compelled either to forsake their union membership and swear allegiance to the mob and to the Missouri and North Arkansas Rail road or suffer banishment with their families from their homes. Great numbers were thus compelled to flee.
 Government By Mob.
 All of this violence and the hang ing of one innocent union man IS but incidental to the paramount issue, which is the destruction of civil gov ernment and the organization ot ar bitrary and autocratic rule by mob authority.
 "The mob was and is under the direction of a small committee, gen orally believed to be composed of 12 persons, some of whom, according to testimony, are closely allied with the Missouri and North Arkansas Railroad.
 "The whole situation appears to come finally to railroad rule in North Arkansas. It is impossible to under stand why such a condition has been permitted to exist for so long a time.
 Where Press Failed.
 We say with regret that the news papers of the country in the main have been derelict in their duty m connection with this situation and we cypress the hope that they may III some manner in the future retrieve regulations which have been dam aged. We have caused careful 1n- quiry to be made and we find that in great many cases more material has been made available by press associations than has been published by the newspapers. This IS not complete answer to newspaper neg feet, however, because in our opinion considerable portion of the ma terial furnished for publication has been of a character to almost dis courage publication.
 "As is so frequently the case where violence is concerned, newspaper representatives seek those whom they believe to be in authority. In this case those who were in authority were those who were in charge ot the opesations of the mob and whose conduct was in defiance of law and constituted authority.
 Hope Is Manifested.
 "We cannot do other than con- demn unreservedly the conduct of the mob and the conduct of the civil authorities of the State of Arkansas for allowing the mob to continue in power over so long period. We express the hope that the legislative inquiry which has been begun and which is soon to be resumed in liar rison, the seat of mob activities, will clearly fix in the public mind the responsibility for the outrage.
 Finally, we most. earnestly ex- press the hope that the newspapers of the United States may undertake a more adequate presentation of the facts in the case and may lend the assistance of full and unSparing pub licity to the cause of law, order ana justice"