The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-02-07
Khan Has Balance of Power
in Arkansas LegiS-
Iature,
By MEL WASHBURN


BIZ United Press
T TITLE ROCK, Feb. THE
- Valley of Smiles in the
Ozarks is a vale Of tears.
Glow could it have happened
in a civilized American COM
munity2" / suppose every read
er Of dispatches from Arkansas,
telling of mob rule in Harrison, has
asked himself that question
have. Now / viii try to answer
it, in the light of testimony by wit
nesses before the Arkansas State Leg
islative Committee investigating the
Ozark uprising.
Many and conflicting stories are
told OF the conditions which led to
the lynching and deportati6ns Of
strikers along the Missouri & North
Arkansas Railroad
ku-klux Named
Exiled strikers blame the railroad
and the Ku-Klux Khan. Citizens who
4.
The citizens say the collapse of the
abroad meant the loss of their only
connecting link with the outside world.
they think that justified them for
taking the law into their own hands.
Here is the background Of the Har.
rison outbreak:
Two years ago a general strike was
called on the Missouri & North Ar
kansas Railroad a reduction OF %
per cent in wage rates was unbear.
able. union employees said. Attempts
to compromise failed. Depredations
along the railroad made train service
dangerous. For a time service was
discontinued entirely. Bridges were
burned and dynamited. Business men
in small towns suffered Farmers
were unable to ship their chops. Prop
erty deprecated in value. Strikers
drawing strike benefits which enabled
them to live. suffered the least.
Union Heads Banished
In June. 1922, when the grand lodge
officers Of the four railroad brother
hoods came TO Harrison, a special
train carried an armed mob into the
town and the union officials We're run
out of town.
The first Of this year came the an
rouncement Ct j. G. Murray, general
manager of the road that unless the
strike ended before the beginning OF
February, railroad service would be
. discontinued permanently. Murray
said the railroad was broke"
Indignation against the strikers
reached a fever heat. Meetings
were held in various towns.
Threats were heard on every
hand. At secret meetings
course of action was finally
adopted Armed mobs were or,
ganized quietly, TO work in for
eign counties under direction OF
citizens committees"
Jan. 10 a mob of 200 swept into
Harrison at dawn. A committee Of
twelve" was hurriedly organized.
State and county authorities were
/ either placed on the committee or
ignored entirely. No process Of law
was applied.
Strikers homes were entered and
searched. Strikers and strike sympa-
thizers We're taken before the com
mittee" and were given the choice OF
tearing up their union cards, swear
Ing allegiance TO the railroad. becom.
ing 100 per cent American" or
leaving the country.
Lynched Wrong Man
The majority elected to leave. A
number We're logged, their homes
wrecked and violated and the men
thrown in jail. Ed c. Greror was can
tured and after hours OF eruelling.
taken out by three masked men and
hanged to trestle near the town.
Afterward the mob discovered they
had lynched the wrong man.
From Harrison the mob went to
Heber Springs, where a committee
whose power was supreme was organ.
lied. 1t invoked no process of law,
although the sheriff, the prosecuting
attorney and a county Judge were
members Of the tribunal" Despite
strikers appeals TO the Governor for
protection, the committee continued
to functiOn-and is funciouing now.
In the Legislatures three fac
/ tons are fighting for supremacy