The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-02
MILLS DOTTED BY GRAVES OF UNION
 MEN IS ALLEGED
"JuStiCe Impossible" Says Statement Presented To
 Coal Commission
WASHINGTON BUREAU l
 THE AGE-HERALD Washington, D. C., Sept. 1

Hill sides in Alabama and other non-union territory are dotted by graves of union miners killed by ahugs. employed by operators, for no other reason than that they were union miners, according to a formal statement just filed before the feder- al coal commission by Ellis Saerles, chairman of committee of the Unit ed Mine Workers of America, assign ed to the business of presenting evil dence to the commission.
 Alabama and other nom union ter ritory is referred to as those dark regions"
 Justice is. impossible at the hands Of local officials in Alabama and other non union territory, according alleged indifference and alleged con viction that the taking of the life of union miner is a legitimate past time"
 The statement in part follows:
 Our understanding is that the Commission will, as a result of it's investigation of the subject of viola tion of civil rights in the non-union coal mining fields of the United States, have something to say on that subject in its forthcoming re- port and, perhaps, that it will offer recommendation for methods by which individuals employed in those protection in the future.
 o o o
 outrageous Conditions Charged
 "A mass of information has been . filed with the Commission by the United Mine Workers of America for the purpose of showing to the Com mission the outrageous conditions that surround those men who dare to eSpouse the cause of trade unionism in those dark regions. We have giv- en the Commission the details of case after case where union miners have been assaulted, beaten, wounded and even killed by gunmen and thugs in the employ of non-union coal com panies. The sole and only offense of these unfortunate victims was that they were union members or that they wished to become members. We have even filed with the Commission copies of official court records in certain cases in which the brutal assailants of these men were prose- cuted for their crimes. We have asked the Commission to make its own thorough investigation of the cases cited by us and the hundreds of others that the Commission could easily find upon an inquiry in those fields
 The hillsides of Southern West Virginia, Alabama, Colorado, North eastern Kentucky. and other unor- ganized or partly organized fields are dotted with the graves of union miners who were shot down or beat en to death by these hired assassins of such coal companies.
 C. o O
 Meets Scant Success
 Tn most instances, when the Unit ,.ed Mine Workers of America has att \ tempted to bring to justice these des- peRadoes4 andsshavea them punished for their crimes. the union has met with. little sucnesS because of1the apparent indifference of local officials, who seem ito regard the taking of the life of a union miner as a legitimate pastime which may be indulged Tn without hindranee by company gun men. It ia hoped. therefore, that the United States Coal. Commission VIII take an tSely different view of the matter and that it will condemn that practice in its most severe and em- phatic manner. We are hoping that when your report on. this subject IS made public 1t will declare positively against a continuance of the present gunman and armed guard system in, these coal mining fields. We are hoping that the Commission will pro nounce clearly the principle that every man has the right as an Amer ican citizen to join all labor union if he sees fit to do so, and that this right shall not be interfered with by coal companies through the use or vicious violent, unlawful, murder one hoUS" a