The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-08-23
MARTIAL LAW STOPS PRAYERS OF
STRIKING MINERS THAT NO ROCK
MAY FALL ON OKLAHOMA SCABS
By ERNEST R. CHAMBERLAIN.

| HENRY ETA, OklA.--(f'P) --State
troops are In action and martial law
is threatened in the coal fields of
Oklahoma as a result Of the prayers
and hymn singing Of the striking min
ers Of Henryetta and Schulter
The winning over Of so suSkebreak-
ers to the union by the expedient of
praying for their salvation at the en-
try OF the mines has been so disas-
trous that the mine operators have
induced sheriff John Russell of Ok
mulgee county to issue procalama-
ton ordering the cessation of all
prayer meetings and religious pro-
cedure by the picketing miners and
their wives and children.
| Disregarding the sheriff's orders
two union miners persisted in praying
and singing and were forced to con-
tinue their prayer meeting in the Ok
mulgee county jail. No charges were
filed and the county attorney is up a
stump as to what sort Of a misde-
meanor this singing of hymns at
pit mouth constitutes.
National guardsmen are on duty,
but they can't keep comfortable due
to the patriotic frenzy Of the religious
picketers who insist on singing the
Star Spangled Banner at regular in
tervals compelling the troops to snap
to attention and the young lieutenant
to jump to rigid salute.
Oflcials of the miners union say
the religious revival will be continu-
ed all summer, if the operators and
nonunion workers refuse to be saved.
In five mines that went openshop be-
tween 500 and 1000 union miners i'm
mediately went on strike rather than
accept the 1917 scale. Each day at
4 D. m. when the strikebreakers quit
work they find the road lined by
crowd Of union men with their wives
and children. Apprehensively the
strikebreakers walk down the road
between the fixed bayonets Of the
militia
The union pickets carry American
flags and their first act is to sing the
Star Spangled Banner The strikers
stand with barred heads while the sol
diers present arms. AS the anthem
closes a hymn starts up followed by
another and yet another.
Then a striker steps forward and
prays for the scabs:
Lord, let no harm come to these
men. Hold up the mountain sides
that no rocks may fall upon them.
But lord, let thy light shine upon them
and show them the blessings of
unionism and the sin of depriving
union men and their wives and fam
lilies Of their daily bread. o, lord, we
pray thee, soften the hearts of tn
mine owners and guide and protect
these soldier boys and let no evil
enter their hearts. Let no harm come
to their persons, but let the light Of
understanding and sympathy for the
wives and children of striking miners
descend into their hearts. And this
we ask in the name OF Jesus Christ
who comforted the slaves of old,
Amen"
And then, as the strikebreakers pass
by, the strikers call out-not the jibes
and jeers that have marked strikes of
the past but the call to repentance:
God save your soul, Jim PocateIli."
God bles you, Tom Murphy"
And the soldiers polish their rifles
and at the state capitol Gov. Trapp
Issues proclamation warning the min
ers against violence. From Fort Sill
reinforcements are coming to deal
with the dangerous situation"
There have been only two minor
breaches Of the peace in the past
month at Henryetta.
Religious services, the sheriff states
must be conducted by regularly or
dained ministers and must not be
used for the purpose of annoying and
intimidating the workers in the mines
and other peaceably disposed citi-
zens."
With the prayers comes enforced
fasting, cminous for the wives and
children Of the strikers. The district
union treasury is depleted. Commit
tees have been to nearby union CEN