The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-04

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 The general strike called by the presi- dent of the Birmingham Trades Council in sympathy with the discharged em- ployes of the Birmingham Railway. Light and Power company, began at noon yes terday and a number of union workmen | quit work
 l There was no means of finding out the exact number who went on strike yes- terday, but at strike headquarters the estimate was made late last night that between 5000 and 4OO0 men were on strike in the district.
 Estimates from other sources were much smaller, the general estimate being 1000 to 1900 who obeyed the call. As yes terday was a holiday and number of establishments closed on this account, there is no certainty in any estimate as it Is generally understood that many workers will resume work today.
 Evidence Not Conspicuous.
 Evidences of a general strike were not conspicuous yesterday, the only manifes- tation being unusual number of peo- | pie on the streets during the afternoon, but as the banks were all closed and a number of business houses observed Confederate memorial day, this account ed for part of the throng on the streets. Good order prevailed throughout the day and no excitement attended the walk out of the union men.
 Inc building trades were the most af- fected by the strike, as the carpentrSs have been active in the movement and
 
 | have considerable influence. The other | unions said by union leaders to be on strike yesterday were the street car men, 1 bricllayers painters. paperhangers, plumbers, plasterers, barbers, brewery workers, electricians and garment work CTS, the latter being women and number ing sixty-flve in their union.
 The trades reported not out or only partially affected are clerks, bartenders telegraphers. bolermakers, iron molders, stage employees, musicians and printers Some of. the printers will quit work to- day, according to the latest reports.
 Reports from Ensley yesterday after noon stated that possibly 100 men had l quit work. These were principally car 1 penters, plumbers and barbers. At Besse- mer it was stated that seven men had struck, four barbers and three plumbers
 Not Alone to Union Men. 1 A significant fact concerning the strike 1 is contained in the statement made yes terday by w. Jerry Williams, secretary of the strike committee, In which he ferred to the call for a strike as made to all workers individually and not to or ganzed bodies as such.
 MT. Williams is quoted follows: 'The call was not made to the union men as such. but 1t will be noted by reading it that it is to the working men and women of Brmihgham.' It is not di- rected to organized labor alone but to unorganized labor as well. It is addressed l to the people as individuals and not as bodies. It will not be necessary for the different unions to ask their national bodies for permission to quit work They can quit individually without this per mission"
 Commons is Satisfied.
 National Organizer Ben Commons was asked yesterday afternoon his views upon the strike. He declared that the men had shown a proper sympathetic spirit in walking out so freely, and that the situ- ation, in his opinion. was entirely satis- factory to the cause which he repre- sented.
 James B. Drake, chairman of the strike committee, was seen late last night and asked how many men were on strike He said that this could not be determined until this morning when the report will be sent into the general meeting, but that he believed that between 3O00 and | 4O00 men wer out.
 Business Slightly Affected.
 A number of business men. employers of union labor, were questioned yesterday re- | garding the extent that their business was affected by the strike. Some re- ! piled that their men were still at work and they could not tell what they would do. Others said that they had lost some men, but believed they would be back within a day two
 It is known that the clerks union held | a meeting Sunday afternoon and declined to go out on strike, while the bartenders | are understood to have the matter still under consideration, having taken no &C., l tion.
 The Typographical Union as body is | subject to the order of the head of the | organization, and 1t Is understood that l the men here have been directed to ob- 1 serve their contracts. A member of this or any other union has the right an | individual to go out on strike, but hls | place can then be filled by union man and he cannot get it back.
 General Meeting ThIs Morning.
 President J. E. Jacob of the Trades | Council announced yesterday that a gen 1 eral meeting is called for 10 o'clock this morning at the Central Labor hall on Twentieth street, at which reports of the | strike will be received and plans for the l future will be discussed.
 | A mass meeting was also announced | for Wednesday noon, which will be held | in Capitol park if agreeable to the city authorities. The exact purpose of the mass meeting was not given out, but 1t | is understood that 1t will be for the purpose of getting together all the men on strike and getting views on the sltua- l tion.
 | The fact that nop-unfon men will be | brought in here to aid in breaking the strike was made evident yesterday by the | publication of letter from a firm in Nashville that handles these men. Walter | H. Koch, the representative of the firm, was at the Hillman yesterday and was asked regarding the importation of men. We are prepared.' he said. ito furnish | from 1000 to 10000 men of all trades on twenty-four hours notice. We are in communication with men in other cities