Fellow Workers in the mining industry:
The purpose of this item is to ask your help in getting all the facts about this great mining strike which the labor movement of the world is watching.
We want every reader of this paper to consider himself the special I.W.W. correspondent in his locality, to send us all the local news about the strike.
You do not need to write articles. Just tell the editor in your letter what is taking place where you are. Also, mail to us all clippings from local papers dealing with the strike in any way.
We want full and accurate news about the strike, as our papers must say what other papers leave unsaid. Our papers will have splendid reports on this strike with your help.
Again we urge you to send in all newspaper clippings dealing with the strike. Beside that, Write us all important strike news which the clippings do not tell. Watch out especially for the following things:
- 1. How many mines are shut down; how many are working.
- 2. Methods used to keep scabs away.
- 3. Tactics of the United Mine Workers' officials: tell us whether any camps, and how many men are working with union consent; whether U. M. W. of A. officials are talking in favor of separate agreements and settlements.
- 4. Watch the railroad workers. If any body of railroad men refuse to haul coal during the strike, tell us at once: that is big news, and will make magnificent propaganda. If any body of railroad workers even considers such action, let us know.
- 5. Tell us whether gunmen are used in your locality -- company guards, private detectives, cossacks or militia men.
Send in all other important strike news so that all readers of this paper will agree that the I.W.W. papers have told the truth and the whole truth in this great battle of the working class.