MINING RIOTS IN AMERICA

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19299, 28 September 1932, Page 9

MINING RIOTS IN AMERICA

SEVEN MONTHS STRIKE COMMUNIST AGITATORS BLAMED United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received September 27, 5.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, September 26. A Columbus (Ohio) message states that the National Guard troops patrolled the nearby coalfields, following violence between striking miners and owners, which resulted in the death of two persons. An eighteen-year-old boy was killed while seeking refuge in his home during an exchange of shots. Earlier a striker was killed by a worker during an argument. The strike has been under way over seven months, marked by sporadic violence. The present difficulty is that the owners refuse to obey a truce, negotiated by the Government, which resulted in the premature removal of the troops recently when the Union ratified it. At Springfield, twenty-five coalmine strikers were arrested as a result of yesterday’s fatal riot. They were released on bond, and are heavily guarded from possible retaliation by the miners, who gathered before the Courthouse during the hearing. They allege trouble was fomented by Communist agitators. [A message received yesterday stated that as the culmination of labour disorders at Benton in August, one thousand unemployed miners attacked one hundred workers, who accepted reduced wages. Many shots were fired. One peace officer was killed and a score more men on both sides injured, many seriously. A policeman was shot to death and three persons wounded, when six hundred men charged into the headquarters of the United Mineworkers, on Sunday night. The slain officer was one of the heavily armed detail, which was thrown as a barricade about the headquarters, when the frenzied crowd attempted to seize union officials, following a street fight.] _____