Chief,

I know of this incident. A horrible misuse of authority. My grandfather told me of an incident in which he was involved, as a young miner in the 1920's at Matewan, West Virginia. Grandpa was an explosives man. During a strike there the NG was used as hired guns of the coal company. The miners there fought back and did not suffer the loss of children as at Ludlow. Grandpa said this was what made him leave mining and come home to work the farm. Any civilian job which makes it necessary to actually fight your employer and his hired guns is not one to hold on to. As much as I admire and honor the old CW veterans who endured what they did, I feel that if they had gone into a fight on the side of strike breakers and got their own butts kicked, well... they would have deserved it! An offer such as the one made by the old guys was one which is contrary to the ideals they fought for. I am sure the NG was embarrrassed, but the offer to assist mine owners to oppress workers should have been embarrassing to the old vets. I have served my country and government but I would never side with big business and the government against the people.

Len