The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-03-24
By BILL GEBERT

THERE is peace signed by the two bosses
i controlled fractions of the United Mine
Workers Of America-Lewis and Fishwick. After
two years of charges and exposing each other
of being crooks being on the payroll OF the coal
operators, the two gangs of takers united by de-
gree of the court and the coal operators. The
very same day that peace" was ordered by the
coal operators between Lewis and FishWick, war
was declared against the miners, Old Ben Cor
poration announced Is ga cents wage-cut on
a ton in Mine No. Is in johnson City, Illinois
Together with the wage-cuts the miners received
another present" They we're ordered to use
the new method of shooting coal by compressed
gas, known as cardoX. This method of shooting
is to improve the mining Of coal by not crush
ing the coal, but by breaking it in big Jumps.
This method of shooting is very dangerous, and
in the mines of Old Ben No. and Zeigler No l,
where the miners were forced to accept this
method of, shooting the coal they are paying
with their lives A number of miners were
killed and numerous have been injured by using
cardox in shooting the coal.
The miners in johnson City refused to ac-
cept the Wage-cutS and cardoX. The Old Ben
Mine was declared shut down. throwing 300 men
out of work. The miners, refusing to be thrown
out Of work, threw picket line around the
mine, preventing the maintenance men and
sheriff modified his gang and the miners we're
attacked Militia came to the town, The miners
decided to take the offensive. They sent dele
cations to the local unions of the U. NJ. w. A.
and all miners of the Old Ben Corporation in
Franklin and Wilson County appealing to the
miners to strike with them and to fight But
the local officials guided by the higher officials,
refused to join in the struggle, and prevented
the declaration of a strike in the local unions.
The johnson City miners knew that the rank
and file were with them, and they threw picket
line around the Old Ben Misunderstanding No.
IS, Buckner No. IA and West Frankfort No. 8.
The rank and filters in these mines joined the
strike. The next day all the armed forces of
the county and state were modified to smash
the picket line Hundreds of thugs with ma
chine buns attacked the picket line. In one
case, in Pershing No. Is, the picket line was
headed by members of the American Legion
who led the picket line carrying the American
Flag. They had faith in the American Flag
and they thought it would prevent the sheriff
and his gang from attacking them. But they
we're fooled The legionnares we're most Bit
terly attacked by the sheriff forces They could
not stand seeing the miners who were fooled
into joining the American Legion, and who we're
supposed to attack the miners, that they took
sides with the miners against the bosses and
sheriffs They we're beaten up. Shells were
fired from the machine guns, and the American
flag did not help.
Through this bitter experience the miners
were learning the natures of the state and the
meaning of the law-that it is law of the
bosses against the miners. They also began
to understand the meaning of the peace be-
tween Lewis and Fishwick. AS result the
miners in johnson City, who went on strike the
first day. when the organizer Of the N M. U.
came, pleaded with them to keep away from
the struggle, because, they argued, if the N. M
U. would enter the struggle the miners would
have the law on them. The N. M U. organ
izers explained to them that as long as the
miners will fight they will have the bosses gov
eminent against them. The N. M. U. organ
izers spoke at the meeting of the local union