The mine-owners of West Virginia have therefore sought relief through
the law, and obtained a judge's order, forbidding Debs, or any of his
fellow-agitators, from making any efforts to induce the miners to
strike.
They are forbidden to make speeches or conduct parades, or gather crowds
in the mining districts.
This is a severe blow to the agitators. The cooperation of the West
Virginia miners is also considered essential to success.
These men, like De Armitt's, have no grievances of their own for which
they need redress, and it has not been easy to persuade them that they
ought to strike for the sake of their less fortunate brothers.
To obtain any such result it is necessary to have a number of speakers
constantly talking to the men, and teaching them, and urging them.
The order forbidding speaking and persuading is a hard blow to Debs and
his workers.
He, however, declares that he is not discouraged, and that he will win
the strike in spite of every effort of the owners.
While the coal trade has been thus agitated, a curious labor difficulty
has arisen in Paterson, New Jersey.
There are, as you know, labor unions all over the country. Every trade
has its own special union. The members of these unions, when they first
join, bind themselves to be guided by the rules and laws laid down by
the officers of the union.
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