Evening star., 1936-04-13
MINERS MAY RULE
IN WEST VIRGINIA
Swing in Sentiment ot
Unionized Workers Vital
in Election.
By JAY G. HAYDEN.

CHARLESTON, w. va, April Is
(N.AN.AD.-The bituminous mine
workers, newly unioniZed under the
aegiS of the N. R. A., and the Guffey
coal control act, have become the
dominant element in the Democratic
party of West Virginia, and the reper-
cussions from this condition are likely
to decide the election here in No.
vember.
On the Republican side Senator Will
liam E. Borah is entered alone in
the presidential preference primary,
to be held on May II, but the candi-
dates for delegate to the National Con-
vention, and popular sentiment, as
indicated by such straw votes as have
been taken, are Overwhelmingly for
Gov ALT M. Landon.
The rise of the mine union as a
political factor is altogether the most
interesting phase of the West Vir-
ginia political situation. Before the
beginning of the Roosevelt admins
tration the mines in this State were
the bulwark Of non-unioniSm. The
mine workers again and again had
carried their fight to organize them
to the point of bloody warfare, but
always without success.
The N. R. A. forced unioni2ation
and, under protection Of the Federal
Government. it has flouriShed to the
point where the Appalachian field has
become, perhaps, the strongest single
unit in the labor empire presided over
by John L. Lewis. The union says
1t has 81, 900 dues paying members in
West Virginia.
Votes No Longer Split.
Previous to 1888 the miners di-
vided politically Some of the most
strongly Republican counties in the
State were in the mining region.
After the creation of the coal code,
and more particularly since passage Of
. the Guffey law, the mine vote has
gone solidly to the Democrats.
The first evidence of this change
came in 1884, when Rush D. Holt,
still under 80, and a political un-
known, won the Democratic nomina-
tion for Senator Arrayed against
Holt in that primary were four of the
States strongest old-line Democrats
Glen Shaver. former chairman of the
National Committee; William E. Chill
ton, publisher of the Charleston Ga
zette and former Senator; j. ALI Tay-
lor, former Representative, and Ar
thur Koontz, a previous nominee for
governor. Holt, because he polled the
solid mine workers vote, ran away
with the nomination.
A similar situation exists in the
present race for Democratic guber-
material nomination. Four conserva-
tive Democrats, headed by Attorney
General Homer A. Holt, who has the
indoresemnt of the present conserva-
tive Democratic State administration,
are contesting against mine work.
ers' candidate, l.. R. Via. The consen-
sus is that the latter, if his opposi-
ton remains divided, certainly will
win.
Neely Miner Candidate.
Senator Matthew M. Neely. who is
t1noppoSed for denomination, likewise
has become strictly mine workers
candidate. He carries the unquali-
fed Endorsement of Van Bitner, head
of the United Mine Workers in the
State, and of Mr.. Lewis.
Assuming that all of the other for
mer Democrats remain in the party,
the accession of mine strength should
insure Democratic victory, but there
are seriously disturbing factors. AS
the mine chieftains have moved into
control of the party, the old-line
Democrats have been driven out. Craft
labor unions in the State, alarmed by
the rising power of Mr.. Lewis indus
trial unioniSm, are showing signs of
moving over to the Republican side.
An indication of the latter has been
the large increase in Republican regis
tration in communities composed al
most exclusively of union railroad
workers.
The mine owners and other con-
servative interests, which heretofore
have thrown their influence first one
way and then the other, now are
uniting to fight against mine union
domination. The same tendency is
apparent among the farmers.
Adding to these conditions is the
row tnat Is going Or between senators
Holt and Nicely. Some weeks ago
Holt charged that relief jobs were be-
ing dispensed strictly on political
patronage basis. He alleged that F.
w. Mccullough, w. P. A. admins
TRAITOR named at the behest of Nicely
and Bitner, was placing men and wom-
en- on the work rolls only after they
had been approved by the Democratic
committeeman and after promising to
vote as they were told. He cited
numerous instances where Republic
ans were thrown off the rolls and re-
placed with Nicely Democrats.
Fails to Force Change.
Holt, whose political style is much
like that of the late Senator Huey
p. Long, has been storming up and
down the State, and everywhere he
has attracted large crowds to hear
his attacks against the ruling members
Of his party. He unquestionably has
convinced a majority of West Vir-
ginia citizens that relief is being