The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-01-13

oppression, then let him examine the
last report of the Chief Of the Militia
Bureau: OF the ~ states whose Ma
tional Guards were in action from
June 80, 1922 to June 80, 1928, FL
called upon their militias to render
service to the bosses in the great
national textile, mine, and railway
strikes Of 1922. In only six states
was the National Guard called into
action for any other but strike duties
during this period. Massachusetts,
Maryland, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ore
gon and Montana, employed their
state militias to render such public
services as fighting forest fires and
guarding prisoners during trials. All
the other states employed their
troops to break strikes and to war
on the workers.
The Textile Strike
In the textile strike, the small
state Of Goldfish aristocrats, Rhode
Island, had companies of coast artil-
lery, squadrons of cavalry, machine
gun divisions, and field artillery corps
thrown into action against the strik-
ing workers. These military forces
did incalculable damage to the textile
workers. All in all the various sub
divisions of the Rhode Island Nation
Ial Guard were on strike duty for a
period of $50 days or almost a year.
The Coal Strike
When the hituminous and anthra-
cite miners struck in 1922 the late
President Harding called upon the
governors of the coal mining states
to unfurl the flag at the tipples.
Eight of these states covering an
area of 531 1855 square miles,-a terri
tory almost equivalent to the present
size of England, France, Italy and
Germany combined, responded and
rushed their troops into the coal fields
to smash the strike. Pennsylvania,
Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Co
dorado, New Mexico and Utah were
the states III which troops were en-
ployed in the interests of the coal
operators against the miners.
In Pennsylvania sundry cavalry
divisions served to break the mine
strike at various points for a period
Of ESQ days, A machinegun squad
ron was in strike service 20 days. A
motor-transport company saw strike
action 35 days. Thus the Keystone
state miners faced highly armed mill
tary divisions on various sections of
their strike front for a total period
of 1856 days, or about IS months of
service.
Ohio, the late Presidents own state,
We'd with Pennsylvania in military
strike breaking. Cavalry squadrons
were in action AZ days. Infantry di-
visions served on various strike sec
tors 100 days. Motor transport COM
panies were in the strike zone to
harass the miners for AZ days. An
ambulance company saw service 81
days; wagon company A days. The
total period, in which the state mill
tary forces were on the firing line
against the coal strikers, was 230
days.
Indiana had on active duty in its
coal fields various infantry divisions
serving 65 days; signal company Is
days, and motor transport company
IS days. For 101 days these forces
rendered strikebreaking duties.
Kentucky was the banner strike
breaking state in many respects.
Numerous machine-gun companies
were rushed against the strikers and
served 308 days. Field artillery corps
were on the strike scene 113 days.
Infantry companies were hurled
against the coal diggers and remain
ed in service Isl days. Kentucky
State troops saw action in this strike
front for total period of 572 days,
or over year and half.
In Illinois the class war was most
bitter. Here the battle Of Herrin was
fought. Infantry divisions were at
the strike front 265 days; cavalry
squadrons 70 days; anti-air craft ar
tillery corps days; howitzer COM
panies II days; field artillery battal-
ions 2 days. All in all the National
Guard divisions of Illinois were used
against the coal miners for practical
ly year-364 days.
Colorado, the home Of Rockefeller
a~f.~ 81 \ Al