A Militia History Of The Vancouver Island Coalfields, By Daniel Schade

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Critical Summary
The article, A Militia History of the Occupation of the Vancouver Island Coalfields, August 1913, by Daniel Schade seeks to address the accuracy of the historical records that portray the militia and its men as evil and harmful. Furthermore, the article aims at correcting various errors of fact, interpretation, and identity found in the histories of great coal strike (Schade 12). However, the article faces major critiques on the accuracy of its findings by the author and evidence to support them. Moreover, the organization of the article is questionable.
In the article, Daniel Schade covers the history of the strike experienced in Vancouver Island Coalfields in August 1913, with the aim

He criticized the information provided by some people like Jack Kavanagh (union leader) and R.W. Smith (poet) on the same, seeing them as benefiting the miners and ignoring the militia (Schade 12). Therefore, the author decides to embark on the militia, exploring their positive image. It is clear that the militia was deployed in the strike zone to serve the interest of colliery bosses and to make sure the public was safe (Schade 12). However, the author fails to consider if the presence of the militiamen was necessary for the strike zone. He states, "The coal miners had persevered the dangerous working conditions for about four decades, and about 373 workers had succumbed to underground gas explosions" (Schade 13). Furthermore, there was dismissing of some workers from their jobs by the company. Therefore, it was necessary for the employers to provide favorable conditions for the workers and prevent them from further harm. Through such steps, they would not have experienced any form of strike. However, it is also important to consider that everything was out of control and the strike had already begun, with the miners destroying the nearby residence of replacement miners, making families to seek refuge in the forest (Schade

The author views the militiamen as to assist the many families in the violent areas to stay safe. He quotes various dialogue and letters written by the militiamen, expressing their view concerning the ongoing strike. The feedback was positive, with individuals like Dr. Walter Bapty describing an incidence where he saved the life of a sick man, believed to have beset by the strikers (Schade 22). Furthermore, there are incidences where the Victoria militiamen had saved the lives of twenty-four women and children, who were hiding in the cover of surrounding forest. The author considers the relationship between the militiamen and strikers a positive one. He supports such relationships by the letter Norris wrote to her mother to be positive. Norris describes the strikers to be peaceful and supportive (Schade 28). However, the works by men like Bowen and Hinde show that there was a harsh relationship between the militia and the strikers (Schade 27). Such contradictions make the reader doubt the evidence the author has used to support his findings. The author should expand more on the relationship between the militiamen and the strikers, to exhibit them as of more helpful to workers rather than causing harm. The militia had fought back the strikers and sent them away burning down their houses (Schade 28). Such move exhibited the militia to have gone to the coalfields to punish the striking workers other than to