The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-04-25
TROOPERS SLUG
WOMEN, CHILDREN;
FILL HOSPITALS
Martial Law Declared,
Miners Evicted
(Speciel to ne DaiIg Workerl

tGpEC1Ut 70 1 ne DOtby w OfhGTJ
PITTSBURGH. Pa, April "a. II
The rapid spread of the strike called
hv the Gavc-tha- Union Committee in
the unorganized counties of western
Pennsylvania and West Virginia is
being met by the state and county
office holders Of the coal operators
with unprecedented fury and terror
ism.
Plans to declare practical martial
law are in preparation. armed thugs
are patrolling the strike areas, beating
and arresting Save-the-Union organ
izers and sympathizers. Hundreds of
peaceful pickets are being arrested
daily and the state police are threat
ening to fill the hospitals as well as
the jails.
Despite this persecution the morale
Of the strikers is rising. Thousands
of thom are veterans Of other strikes
and the cruel exploitation to which
thew have been subjected by the non
rrion operators since the betrayal of
their strike by John L. Lewis in 1922
g steeline them for superhumanl
struggle to organize themselves in a
powerful, militant union. They are
determined to continue their fight
until victory is assured.
Many Injured.
BENTLEYVTLLE. Pa, April 24.--I
Many heads swathed in great band
ages are seen on the mass picket lines
at the Acme and Gibson mines near
here morning and evening. Martin
Volentik, who has six stitches in his
head as a result of clubbing admin
istered by state troopers who swooped
down on a line of 500 men, women
and children at the Acme mine Mon
day morning, smilingly reported that
production fell down more than So
per cent since mass picketing began
that day.
To break the picket line, state
troopers hurl tear gas into their
midst from the right, while police in
the pay Of the coal company throw
them from the left When the club
bling and bombings become intoler-
ably vicious, the pickets returned the
attack with volley Of stones. Mornt-
ed police rode into the crowd and
chased the pickets over the hills until
they reached town.
Long Siege.
'It took the yellow dogs two hours
TO do it." one picket reported. eff
few Of us came together, a cop
would ride right on top of us. and hit
us on the head with his club"
But this job Of closing down the
mines, paralyzsng production and for
cling the operators to come to terms
is not a rvatter that can be swept
aside lightly. At council in the
union hall that day, it was decided
to approach the mine from tie west
side instead of the east as they had
formerly done. Tuesday morning all
went well for q time. There were no
police on the western side. and the
pickets were able to approach strike
breakers end roint out the necessity
Of sticking together in the strike
Many lett the nll0e that day.
Second Attack.
But as the pickets marched to the
second mine, mounted police rode into
the line again, hurting tear gas bombs
in every direction. Flora ITasnovv
was later arrested and charged with
throwing large piece of concrete al
. troouer. Mrs. Masnovy declared
that the block brought to court as
evidence was so big she Couldn't
even lift the damn thing"
While the men gathered at the
union hall to discuss the next move
in the battle for living wage and
union conditions, the women decided
to hold down the line At three thirty
that afternoon more than 900 wives
and daughters Of striking miners
marched to the Acme mine. A dozen
state troopers and coal and iron police
came to meet them with volley Of
tear gas bombs.
Old Women Hit.
Mrs. Joe Maslank, a 62-year-old
mother Of several miners, was hit on