The daily worker., 1929-08-13
By VERN SMITH.

union nau just Deen organized, was
fighting '-r it's life, and for the
nearest approach to national con-
tract that has ever been achieved in
the industry. The coal operators
were importing scabs, part of them
Negro miners from Alabama. Some
of these men We're taken directly
from the convict mines of that state,
some were lured North by rich
promises, and in ignorance Of the
strike in Illinois.
The Alabama Miners Division of
the Afro American Labor and Pro-
tective Association ampaig d
against the strike breaking; in a
conference at Birmingham it passed
a resolution: "That we use every eff
fort to intercept the movement of
Negro miners from this section to
Pana (Illinois), and that we join our
efforts and arguments to re-
lieve Pana mines of all colored la
borers carried there and retained
there by reason of the strike"
But the flow of strike breakers
continued. AS soon as a carload of
Negroes crossed the Illinois line, the
car was locked, armed guards posted
by railroad and coal companies, and
from that moment, the men were
prisoners, slaves, unable to quit.
Skirmish at Pana.
On September %, 1928, union
miners and 100 deputy sheriffs"
(mine guards) fought a pistol and
rifle battle at Pana, with several
deaths on each side, and no definite
victory.
On October Is, the next month, a
train load of scabs destined for the
Chicago -Virden Coal Co. mine at
Virden, heavily guarded in the usual
way, was stopped by armed miners
at the Old South Mine, near Virden,
and pitched battle resulted with
the mine guards on the train, and
those behind the stockade at the
mine on one side, and the union
miners on the other. Seven union
miners were killed, and eight
wounded. Five mine guards were
killed, and about dozen wounded
The miners won, completely. The
slave train went back the way ii
came.
"Virden Day."
National Vice-President John Nit
chell and District Secretary w. D
Ryan of the U. M. w. A. were in
Pana when the Virden battle started
they came Immediately to the scene
and were arrested and held under
5000 bond each for "inciting to riot.
There were a few other arrests
Nothing came of them; the coal
operators compromised with the
union, giving substantial gains tt
the strikers, Illinois fields were 10(
per cent organized, and stayed that
way until 1927, when the union was
smashed by Lewis betrayal. There
were strikes again, but never any
scabs.
And every year, the miners OF
Southern Illinois celebrated with
parades, brass bands, speeches and
festivity, on October 13, "Virder
Day." The commemorated their
dead, and promised each other that
what these dead had died to win
should never be lost. District Presi-
dent Harrington, and his successor
Fishwick, were usually speakers at
these celebrations.
But things were happening under
cover, in the Illinois Miners Union
harrington was selling out. He
might mouth phrases about the
battle of Virden but he was making
an agreement with certain mine
owners, the Peabody Coal Co. which
was later exposed as paying him a
$25,000 a year bribe, and according
to Lewis, when Lewis and Earring
ton had one of their periodical spats
dan told on each other, with other
mining companies, particularly the
Lester Strip Mines, near Herrin
Williamson County.
When the 1922 strike came or
Walter Lester, owner of the Herrir
mines felt he had authority to pro.
coed to make big money, and break
the strike. He had openly received
permission from Harrington to use
union men end strip the coal, te
break it and pile it on the surface
He had, according to Lewis, who
ought to know, secret permission te
| ship the coal.
Imports Gunmen.
As soon as he had 100000 tons
ready to ship, he fired the unior
men, brought in As scabs supplied
by the Bertrand scab agency, anc
% thugs as mine guards, supplied by
the Hargreaves Corporation, both
of Chicago. Lester had loan from
Gary, head of the steel trust, to be
used in breaking the strike.
AS commander of the guards, anc
superintendent of the mine, Lester
chose a certain one-legged mercen.
airy, c. K. Mcdowell. A machine
gun was mounted on the highest Goa
pile; shotguns, rifles, and pistols
were issued to the guards, and tc
the office force.
The mine lies on the road from
Marion to Herrin. This public high.
way was blocked by the guards
truck loads of armed thugs patrollec
it within and without the barriers
stnnninp all nasSers hy. searching