The De Armitt men are, however, quite content with their treatment, and not anxious to join the strike. To win them over, large bands of striking miners have camped near the De Armitt mines, and every morning they march to the pit's mouth, intercepting the men as they are going to work, and urging them to join the strike and help their fellows.
They have already persuaded many of the men to leave work.
They have been very orderly so far, and though fears of violence are entertained, as yet there has been no rioting.
The only person who has got into trouble has been Debs.
When the strike was first organized, Debs and the other labor agitators declared that it was impossible for the strike to fail if the miners only held together. They gave such a rosy picture of the whole affair, that many of the miners believed that the great strike would be settled with little delay or trouble.
They were quite unprepared for the long and bitter struggle into which it has developed, and many of them are angry with Debs and the other agitators for misrepresenting affairs to them. Debs is therefore losing influence with the miners just now.
On the other hand, the coal-owners are combining against him, declaring that but for his mischievous intermeddling, everything could have been adjusted without trouble.
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.