AMERICAN MINERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 June 1922, Page 5

AMERICAN MINERS

JURY’S BIASSED VERDICT.

_ FURTHER LAWLESSNESS. i (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) 1 ' ® Recd 9 a.m. NEW YORK, June 27. The Coroner’s Jury at Herrin’, who are believed to be under union mineis’ influence, found that the officials of the mine, owned by the Southern Illinois Coal Company, were guilty of the death of two striking union miners killed during the massacre, while the t death of some sixteen other non-union , strikebreakers was declared to he due [ to unknown causes. The local union is hot disinclined to disclaim its acts. Although no official utterance is made, individual members of the union are inclined to boast of the ' acts, pointing out what •will happen to non-union strike break- . ers if they again attempt to break up the strike. , Air. Farrington, president of the Illinois Federation of Miners, of which the Herrin union is a unit, issued a statement which generally condemns violence on the ground that it will discredit the union movement, and possibly destroy the United Mine Workers of America, of which the Federation is a State unit. It appears that the greater number of the dead and wounded were either mine-guards of the strikebreakers, or family connections. It is said, that the strike breakers themselves belonged to the Steam Shovellers’ Union, which is not recognised by the American Federation of Labour. This renders the situation uncomfortable.

Aline officials asked the authorise' for protection in removing the injured non-union workers who are in the iim pitals to Chicago, in order to s«ueguard them; They will be used as witnesses at the coming investigation o( the tragedy. The mine officials declare they received threats from the union miners that any attempt to remove the wounded will mean further violence. Pittsburg reports that two hundred armed striking union miners marched through the mine district near that city threatening to kill non-union miners. They succeeded in shutting (Town four mines by terrorising the strike breakers. Nowsnaners throughout thn country are unanimous in condemning the Tlnrrin outrages and are blanrng the authorithrt in Williamston County, where the tragedy occurred, for hot t-iVincr action. Thov ask whv not a =inMe arrest was macle, and declare file outrage sullies the country’s record. and ’s the blackest stain on unionism. Feeling is running high. RATHENAU’S FUNERAL IMPRESSIVE -SCENES. < Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) BERLIN, June 27. There was an impressive ceremonial in Berlin in connection with Dr Rathenau’s funeral. The coffin was brought into the Reichstag at noon, covered with the German flag, and placed under a great crepe canopy on the President’s table, with giant palms and flowers on all sides. The Chamber was heavily hung with crepe and the galleries were decked with hydrangeas. An official tribute commenced with five minutes’ scilence. President Ebert then delivered the funeral oration, in the presence of Dr Rathenau’s aged mother and his daughter. After other leaders had paid a tribute to Dr Rathenau’s sacrifices in giving up his industrial career for politics, the coffin was carried into the lobby, where students, in picturesque uniforms, lined the passages, dipping their corps flags as the coffin passed. The coffin was then taken in a motor hearse to the Obershoeneweide, where it wits buried in the presence of the near relatives of the deceasd statesman. As the Rathenau cortege left the Reichstag, an aeroplane, with long crepe The country was tranquil, except at Railway workers and other officials paid i tribute by observing five minutes’ silmee. Alany workers began a protest strike at midday and attended demonstrations during the afternoon. The countr ywas tranquil, except at Hamburg, where the police held up a .vorkers’ procession with a machine gun ind displayed a placard “Halt! Anyone joing further will be shot!” The people elt so outraged that they pressed on the iclice, who fired, killing one person and vniindinn* sAVPraI.

RAILWAY DISASTER. LARGE DEATH ROLL. BERLIN, June 28. A tragedy attended Dr Rathenau’s funeral. A train crowded with spectators, including many workmen standing on the footboards, was traversing a tunnel, when it met a train carrying long girders which caught the sides of the first train and carriages, crashing through the woodwork and swept off hundreds of passenger’s on to the line between the two trains. Most teivible scenes followed in the semi-darkness. Many shrieking victims were crushed and others were seized with panic. Twenty-six were killed and sixty injured. - SUCCESSOR A FILL-UP. BERLIN, June 28. The appointment of Von Haniel as Dr Rathenau’s successor is regarded as transitional. He has no claims to political experience, but has a useful Foreign Office - record.