Making The Union's Case
The Battle of Blair Mountain was the result of increasing tensions between coal companies and union miners of West Virginia. This long fought battle between miners and mine companies took place both on the physical battlefield as well as the courtroom. The United Mine Workers (UMWA), led by Bill Blizzard, was fighting to improve work conditions and to gain miners' rights. Mine operators had previously kept miners from unionizing through threats of violence and intimidation tactics. Many miners lived in company-owned homes and towns, so they did not seek to unionize in fear of being evicted from their houses or other repercussions. Nevertheless, the UMWA in 1920 started to organize workers and provide a source of hope for miners in West Virginia. After gaining support from miners, there were several physical altercations and legal battles. Tensions soared higher than ever. These events would eventually lead up to the Battle of Blair Mountain, the largest labor uprising in United States' history, where Bill Blizzard, union miners, and other UMWA supporters would fight alongside for workers' rights.
This piece is a statement made by the Operators Association from July 14, 1921 that was intended to investigate the conditions of the West Virginia coal fields. More specifically, this statement details how "This Committee is charged by the United States Senate with the duty of making a thorough and complete investigation of the conditions existing in the coal fields of West Virginia, in the territory adjacent to the border of West Virginia and Kentucky, the causes of the recent violence upon said border and generally to investigate thoroughly the causes which have led to the conditions which have obtained in the past and do now exist in said territory."
This statement highlights the growing tensions between the UMWA and mine operators before the Battle of Blair Mountain. This document is an indictment of the UMWA, and it states that "We emphatically assert that all of the trouble, violence and murder connected with the matter being investigated, that have occurred in Mingo and Pike Counties for the past year, have been directly caused by the activities and criminal practices of the United Mine Workers organization which for years past has pursued a policy that is criminal in its character, and under and in pursuance of such policy this organization is attempting, by means decidedly criminal and unlawful, to substitute, for law and orderly government, the policy and practices of said organization."
In this statement, it also describes how the unionizing of miners would be detrimental to the coal industry because when miners are organized they are more apt to go on strikes for "imaginary causes." This piece is significant to understanding the Battle of Blair Mountain because not only does it provide details to the opposing side's argument and showcase the harmful rhetoric towards the UMWA, but it also further demonstrates the importance of Bill Blizzard and the UMWA for going against the mine operators and instead advocating for miners' rights.
This is an image of Bill Blizzard and his "aide-de-camp" commemorating their arrival at the battle front of the Battle of Blair Mountain. Not only did Bill Blizzard fight for miners' rights through his organizing efforts, but he also commanded the miners' army. Even despite the pushback from the Operators Association, as detailed in their Statement, Blizzard and union miners continued to fight for miners' rights for unionization, fair wages, and safer work conditions.