Evening star., 1928-02-28
Probers Violate Injunction by
"Congregating" on
Church Lot.
PLAN REPORT TO FULL
COMMITTEE THIS WEEK
Legislators Impressed by Squalor
in Mining Area and Danger Of
Spread of Radicalism.
BY BEN McKELWAY.

The coal fields investigating SUD-
committee of the Senate interstate
commerce committee returned 10 WASH
ington today, after five-day tour OF
the Pittsburgh and central Pennsylvania
bituminous districts. The trip will be
according TO taste. as a
beautifully arranged publicity stunt oy
the United Mine Workers Of America.
or as fearful indictment by a Senate
committee OF Pennsylvania soft coal
operators and their methods OF main
tanning the open shop.
Its high point in dramatic interest
came yesterday. shortly before the hear
ings were closed, when members Of the
subcommittee deliberately violated q
court injunction prohibiting "congre-
eating" on a church lot at Rossiter,
Pa. an Injunction which they afterward
termed a drastic infringement upon the
constitutional rights Of free speech and
assemb!age.
Labor Leaders Return.
Returning with the committee this
morning were Phil Murray, an inter-
national vice president OF the United
Mine Workers of America, and P. T.
Pagan, president of Pittsburgh District,
No. 5, OF the Union, who are here 70
confer with their chief. John L. Lewis,
IN preparations for hearings soon 70
begin before the full interstate COM
nerce committee of the Senate.
Chairman Gooding Of the subcorlmit-
tee said today that his committee Will
deliver verbal report on its investiga-
tlons TO the full committee on Thurs
day or Friday, after which there may
be Some definite announcement con-
cernIng the course OF the committee In
beginning its investigations here into
The soft coal strike. III accordance with
a resolution by Senator johnson Of
California.
During its Investigations in the field
the subcommittee confined itself largely
10 examining the results and paid little
attention TO the underlying economic
causes OF the existing industrial warfare
around Pittsburgh. Il obtained first
hand knowledge of these results. which
would otherwise have been impossible.
And while the subcommittee has made
no announcement Of its findings, what
impressed IL most. according 10 iu!or-
NAL statements by the Senators, were:
First. The frightful living conditions.
not only among the idle strikers and
their families, but among the strike
breakers. living in bunkhouSeS furnished
by the operators AT the mines.
Danger of Communism.
Second. The danger. impressed upon
the committee members on every hand,
that the bitterness and hopeleSSneSS OF
the victims Of this economic situation
IN ha ~ IL <..sse sal 1y@ff
for the planting Of radical doctrines
inimicahle 10 American institutions.
Third. The methods reSorted 10 ey
operators 10 maintain employment on
the open-Shop principle in their mines.
methods which allow them 70 control
and 10 paw the officers enforcing the
law and which have enabled them 70
obtain court injunctioES restraining the
strikers. III some instances. from hold
ing meetings. cOngregatirg on the pub
lie highways, singing religious Songs
considered infiammatory and even in
Serting i'll the public press paid adver-
tiSementS urging other men not 70 work
II was the system Of iniunctionS as
Seen in Indiana County. which comes
under jurisdiction Of Ju6se J. II. Ian-
han Of tho Court OF Common Pleas Of
that county. that seemed TO Interest
the members Of the committee most
And II was 20 examine the results ~
the icluncticnS granted by this WSSe
that the committee visited the Magyar
church, built and occupied formerly BY
The Reformed Presbyterian Church.
but new called q community church"
at EoSSiter. Pa. yesterday afternoon,
judge Iauhan has en;oined the strikers
against consregating on the church lce
III the rear cf the cdiflce and singing
"tnflamma,ory" SONGS and the commit
tee decided to lccS into the conditions
to find II they justified such remark
aely interesting order cf the Court.
Ride Over Icy Roads,
Members " the committee ryNss 50
miles over mountainous. SNOW covered!
roads ~ reach the small viliaSss NJ R<NS-
sitter. where the ClearflelS Siruutac,lS
Coal CNrptGaTior. u subsidiary ~ the
New York Central Railroad. operates
one NJ lis big mines. As the pr,crSSiyNn
~ cars entered the town IL gSaSSSa he
tween row " frame barracks, hcgS-
ing the striking miners. The strikers.
their wives and chlldyrn. crowded the
aoNrS ~ watch them paSS, >scale ~
them sent ny u faint cheer, CNS wg,u-
an was Weeping Historically, waV.uS st
the cars, and her attitude seemed en-
seemed to feel. is the Senate VI Ite
United States, the Government ut
comsns ~ help u>
FIRST the committee interviewed A y
general manager ~ the c<HN-
lNsny, and then tlN,S ~ the automobiles
tNF u rtS<aricuS climb up AT tcN Sl>N,N',
here t,c rirketN frame structure known
a> MasNar Church c,,NnAyliS V,ew
II the SugFV0ndIns c<>ontrySs>is. ana ~
.Ae wine entrance, l.aea tect away,
Whether ~ not the committee eNe
,N'cted the Stsat which sveestsd It's tsleM.
ntTS aS they cltnecd tight ct steps
AMI enteged the church Is ntt kttNWn
Hut II MAS an appealing oise, The wn-
d1WS NJ the church ave et C>sA,grd
sIaNS NOT the rlSh, S>sft.ttuns>i stained
glass NJ the city churches. bus PLAIN
'tIAed glass, she gcs>tS astertsaghtg esr
Ween StrklN sTcen, y uassSSAtssig Ne!-
rw and depgSaSlng blue THE ltSN
1ltryinS through tTlGn the aut>lsse case
, shnAtN glow oVeT the taSeS VI tsstSe
inside,
Church. L. Ruled.
The ehutrh Was Allied With asea aad
\ teW wln,en all ut them standing
NAvSrd ct,SeN tVsSvtheF l'sle Set.atVIS,
,eWsIstpeg men and Visotagrag,slegS
AatNed ,tAWn Il hattoW aisle segT CANen
or them and stepsSNd ss'Stde ths pulpit
the Sss'nattUS INK oeats in ysaw re-
'erVed t0 the chair The newspaper
Nen sgVupSd themselves nNsee<NNks IN
oand aNund che pahit, The pho
s@eaeAetS set Nr their naVAsyseS and
1lNSystaGsd eM kssse !. sSlagan -