The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-08-22

1 only to the false teachings of white lead CTS, but to social advice uttered by the l fiery tongue of ignorant and vicious l blacks I have heard one of the chief white leaders of this strife fire the minds | of ignorant blacks with the statement that under the contract system the negro was doing all the work and the white 1 man getting the pay. have seen negro place his arms around the neck of 1 white speaker in the presence of fair | white women and children and apparent | ly prompt him in secret as to what next to say to fire up the hearts of the ig- norant blacks.
 All this, say, tends to demoralization, and unless checked can only prove harm | full to social conditions and end in the damnation of the blacks who are brought under the evil influence It is criminal. It Is sinful. It deserves the most se- we're condemnation.
 Matter of Arbitration.
 We hear but little said now the ! subject of arbitration. So stong and posi- tive was the statement of the operators l that they would not arbitrate and the reason given why they could not so plain, that the public has accepted the fact. 1 And this public, too, Is well aware that | arbitration would not prove a permanent relief. Recognition of the miners union would simply mean an annual cessation of labor each July, season of suspen- sion. and at least partial paralysis of business. It would not mean peace; it never did afford peace. Therefore, arbitra- tion could only mean at best tempor- ] ary readjustment with the strnog prob ability of annual occurrences in this dis trict of disturbances like this through which the community is now passing. The question then comes what are you 1 going to do about it?
 Something has been said about compul- sorry arbitration. History shows that the miners union Is not on record as favor- ing compulsory laws for arbitration. They would favor such laws if they could only be assured that they would operate up for the union and down for the employers, but not visa versa
 As proof of the futility of trying to pro- vide by law for conciliation arbitration in labor troubles, and that results must always be satisfactory to the union side. it may be stated that two exceedingly i'm portant failures In the arbitration of labor disputes have recently occurred. One of these Is In the case of the mechanics em- ployed in the shops of the Canadian Pa chc railway and the other concerns the spnners of Fall River, Mass. In both in- stances labor differences had been adjust ed under the direct supervision of govern ment officials, and in both the employees are rejecting the terms of the arbitration. Employees of the Canadian Pacific railway made number of demands, among which were the restriction of the number of ap- prentices to one to every five journeymen and the prohibition of any helper however competent, from operating certain ma chimes. When these demands were made the company desired to effect it's own set clement and withdrew its representative from the board of conciliation, but the place was then filled by the Canadian gov ernment. hearing was had and the board decided on a compromise, allowing, for instance, one apprentice to four jour neymen instead of one to three, as desired by the company. Reluctant assent was given to the decision of the board by the company, but the men were not satisfied and struck because they did not get all they wanted
 In the case of the spinners of Fall River, a commission appointed by the governor of Massachusetts to investi- gate conditions at Fall River during the | great strike several years ago, and this commission was successful in securing an agreement between the employers and the SpinnerS' union under which the scale of wages was to be based the average prices of cotton cloth of the previous six months Under this agreement a material advance in wages was made by the em- ployers, but when the depression in trade came it caused a drop in prices and a de- crease of IS per cent in wages was recent ly announced. The union is dissatisfied with this result, and has passed a resolu- tion that the agreement has proved a failure so far as the workers are con- cerned," and that the Spmners union is given the necessary three months notice of withdrawal.
 Real Labor Unions.
 In presenting this illustration, I do not mean to take issue with these respective lah n tS da- mands. Both of them are highly respec- table organizations, no doubt, and 1 hazard the opinion that they are in no part composed of white and black ex-con- victs, of ignorant and vicious persons who can be easily fired up by paid agita- tors who grow rich upon perturbed con- ditions and at the cost of the blood of the innocent In no wise am l opposed to labor unionism, when properly and de- gently and justly and honorably conduct ed I believe that the real genuine unon- ism of the skilled artisans of this country has proven an uplifting influence in social and industrial life, and to that unionism would not offer discouraging word.
 Bad leadership. vicious leadership, lead ership fed upon disorder and confusion, is what creates danger, arouses passion, threatens and hazard and destroys public peace.
 No Arbitration.
 With the absolute declination of the op orators of this district to listen to an ap- peal for arbitration, and with the avowed purpose communicated to the striking miners and to the public to close down every mine and workshop which they pos sess before yielding to the demands of the union for recognition, the public knows and the leaders of this strike know, and the strikers themselves ought to know, that continuation of this bitter strife can ! result period of la wlessness. of restlessness, of business suspension. of heavy financial expense and of the destruction of more property and the shedding of more blood Then. who are the beneficiaries of such conflict? Only those who are feasting upon this sea- son of disorder and growing rich on the unhappiness of others.
 Who are the losers by this terrible con- dltion? The state of Alabama, the oper- | ators, the idlng mass of msled miners, and, greatest of all, the people.
 The Only Remedy.
 | Just how the commonwealth of Alabama can hesitate to apply the only remedy for the relief of this terrible condition with out a moments waiting Is beyond com prehension. How this great state, with its 1 vast wealth. its great resources, its strong soldiership body it's willing men of brain. muscle and valor, can stand back. waiting and watching to see what day may bring forth-listening for the crack of an- 1 other murderous gun for the explosion of another stick of dynamite and watch