The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-06-12
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tional Miners Union charging whole
sale brutalities against the state po-
lice and other armed forces of the
State of Pennsylvania and operators
against the starving miners now on
strike. He announced an investiga-
ton, later in the day. the capitalist
press carried news that Pinchot had
said his investigation would be in
secret.
The Pennsylvania District Rank
and File Strike Committee, then in
session, declared that it would give
Pinchot, the press, and the thousands
of miners, and if necessary, prove by
thousands Of aff1doviats, that its
charges Of starvation ond slavery
the miners we're true. That was
when the first announcement of the
supposedly publis investigation was
made. Then came the declaration by
Pinchot Gas reported in the PRESS
that investigators will report direct
~ to him the governor declared.
There will be no hearings, and the
investigation will be conducted Sc
cretly,"
The District Strike Committee I'M
n1ediately issued another statement
scoring the plan for secrecy and de-
handing an open, public investiga-
ton. The first statement of the
District Strike Committee Wednes-
day is as follows:
%, The investigation of conditions
in the mine fields of Western Penn
sylvania, announced by Governor
Pinchot in the afternoon editions of
the press of June 8, is the result of
the tremendous pressure of the
strike Of 10000 miners against star
Vation-a struggle which involves
directly $4,000 men, women and chill
dren-and of the sharp and public
demand made by the National
Miners Union in the name of this
huge section of the working class for
the withdrawal of the armed forces
Of the counties and states, authorized
by or sent in by the Pinchot Gov
eminent, who have attacked and are
still attacking with tear gas, clubs,
bachine guns, etc. the miners and
their families with unparalleled bru-
tally.
''2. The National Miners Union
and the District Rank and File
Strike Committee will furnish to the
committee, to the press,
and will continue to furnish as it is
doing now by mass distribution of
leaflets and other printed matter, if
necessary, by thousands of the min
ers and their families. both those
who are working and the thousands
of unemployed are living under con-
ditions of slavery and Starvation.
g. The National Miners Union
will prove, if necessary, by hundreds
Of affidsvits, that the statements
to the rnurderous character
of the attacks on the miners, their |
wives and families on the picket lines
during this strike by coal and iron
police, state troopers and deputy
sheriffs, made in our letter of June |
9Th to Governor Pinchot, we're, if |
anything, an understatement of the |
actual facts,
1.-THE National Miners Union will |
prove that the mobilization and use
If armed forces against men, women
and children Of the working class,
Who are fighting for the elementary
light to live, is the most extensive
If which the Pennsylvania labor
has any record. The Ma
,ional Miners Union will prove that
in the last two weeks, coinciding
With the strike and the increased
struggles of the unemployed miners
or the bare necessities of life,
Greene, Allegheny, Washington,
Nestmoreland and Fayette Counties
lave been occupied by armed forces,
,olice, deputies and state troopers;
hat regular military posts have been
at points designated by
he coal operators as strategic and
hat all these armed forces are en-
irely at the disposal of the opera
ors. The National Miners Union
will prove that military terrorism
las been established in the mining
amps of these counties in order to
rive the miners back to work and
'erpetuate slavery and starvation.
a. The N. M. U. will prove that
here is in existence conspiracy of
United Mine Worker officials, coal
'perators and press. working with
he armed forces, having as it's i'm
Mediate object to place the blame
or the attacks of these armed
orces against the strikers, upon the
triking miners and the National
diners Union, to intimidate and ter
orize starving men, women and chill
Iren, to drive the men back to work
N the terms of the operators. The
National Miners Union will prove
hat in every single instance of vio-
ence in the strike areas has been
Introduced by the armed forces and
hat unarmed miners have been
orced to defend the very lives of
themselves and their wives and
hildren against coal and iron police. I
equity sheriffs. state troopers and
collections of nnera-