The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-08-30
 END OF STRIKE NOW IN SIGHT An Order Is Expected
 Tomorrow. Lewis, sghits ead Ryaa sittiFg AS Nasiapal Board te consaasr Dseirion--- Ths ssiaisEa AFs
 Restless.
WazS is 1 ssvssIf HsT ! isOzlIz7

Rirmingbam. Aug. 2s---(special-)- )--A
 decision in the Birmingham coal strike situation viii be announced Monday. A final conference between the Na- tlonal oflicers of the miners union was held in teh directors: room of the E'irst
 National Bank tonight. following q
 maetinr of the National Board of the
 miners organization In this city, com
 posed of the seven officials of that or
 ganizatlon. now here.
 No official statement was made. but 1t
 was learned that decision had been
 reached. and 1t would be announces
 Monday.
 Board will be held Sunday, after which
 President Lewis and Vice President White will. probably leave for Indiana
 polls. leaving the decision in the hands
 of Secretary Ryan No more confer
 ences with the Governor will be held.
 Absolute secrecy surrounds the decis-
 ion and beyond the Governors state
 rilent that 'things were looking more
 cheerful. "gnothing could be; learned. | No Meeting Wath. Oterafors.
 So far no member of the union mas
 been in conference with any one or the
 operators. The Alabama Coal Operat-
 ors Association has taken the stand
 that its connection with the union IS at an end. and has hatiy turned a0mh Ssl'
 president Lewis's request for eonher-
 ence. There is no hope that arbitration
 will he attempted.
 The os,estion IS sqnArely before the
 y,iners, Execntive cdrnitiittee. whether. In its opinion, the strikers can win. IT
 they, think the men have chance.
 there Is avery reason to sensss .Ss
 end ii they are convinced there Is no hone there Is no other alternative put to call the strike on with the pest
 The operators are standing pay.
 They have announced their irrevocSole breaking with the union ana propose .s | Id rrin. the mines on the open snop nIan They declare thev can ina the | men if the State will guarantee pro | lection. and this the Governor IS en- | deavoring to afford with soV S'@'e
 Reports conflict as to. how. well the operators are succeeding. It IS ps- I Ileyed the larger concerns are 'gettink g,l, | along fairly, well, but the commteclai l onerators on the other hand are known 1 to be making practically no headway' and to he losing thousands of dollars | daily, However. there'ffs no evidence of weakentnE on the part ot the oper- atorR. f. I Governor COtnet lbA Pa1yih@ - l nortant role In the situation Know | inT that nona of the operators would | eorfer with MT. Lewis he Jumped into | Inc bfeach and took the IndianapoIis narty into his. personal charge. Ever | since their arrival the Governor and | the mine union leaders have been in | almost continuaf eonferenceI Mir. Lew I ia has taken lunch at tho Governor 5 home and the two have taken auto | drives through the strike zone.
 1 The Governor takes the position that
 inc state will exhaust Its full power to protect the non union men, but that l if is his duty to bring about settle mcnt if 1t lies within his power
 His action in forbidding the erection | of tent camps by the strikers is con | siders drastic, In the extreme. and is l known to have been one of the most serious discussions of the conferences. | In the meanwhile the soldiers are restless. Letters from home urge them l Ia get back as soon as possible, and | they are finding little fun or excite | ment In the vacation.
 Disorder seems to have practically ceased in the strike zone. Evidently l a halt has been called during the pres | ence of the union leaders for there has been no trouble of any character i within the past thtee days.