The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-07-26

ovens These were run with free negro men until Thursday, when they were in- juced to walk sut. Their places wers quickly filled by convicts, and today Flat Top mines and coke ovens are running uninterruptedy with a full quota of men. Not one thing about these mines indi- cates that there Is or has been the least disturbance, except the presence of arr tllery--Battery D of the Nationard Guard which is here to protect the prison.
 These soldiers have with them a Cat ting gun. They occupy houses on the company's premises and express them selves delighted with their surroundings. Lieutenant Laurin, one of the officers in command, says that the men are well sheltered, well fed, treated delightfully."- by employees of the company and by citl- zens, and there is not sick or indis posed man in the command That the cnly painful part of the proposition is that they have too little activity.
 Assemblies Quiet.
 The striking men at Flat Top do not bodies as at some other>-points. In fact this writer has seen today only strag- Ing few of them near the mine, most of 'hese bearing bundles of provisions from the free commissary, rather than fire arms. Some of the colored ones watch the maneuvers of the military men with about the same degree of interest as they would a Fourth of July parade.
 Forceful Object Lesson.
 Some forceful object lessons are pre- sented to observant ones by this strike cf coal miners, and the question presents i,sef Is there any good to come out of n? Plenty of harm is self-evident There IS considerable cessation of business; there is idleness; there Is expense to capi- tai and to the state; there is disorder; there are general abnormal conditions; but does anything valuable result from this and other strikes?
 Is not a strike the chastising rod of time and circumstances which may force men to recognize the value of peaceful employment and capital to consider the rights of labor?
 Suppose in this contention the operators come out successfully, which seems most probable, will not the cost of this resent ment by labor cause them to weigh well the value of undisturbed conditions be- fore again applying the rule of reduc- tion?
 Suppose the striking miners do lose thelr point of contention will 1t not cause them to be thoughtful and careful in fu- ture of trying to force conditions to suit themselves by such harmful and expen- sve methods as this strike?
 How Long To Continue.
 How long will this strike continue? is a question which deeply intere.>s every social and business interest in this dis trlct No one seems to be prophet enough to foretel.
 If the striking miners could only know how many men will come to i'll their places how soon, they could make an- swer.
 If the mine owners knew how long free rations would be issued to striking miners and how long they would yield to the direful effect of likeness they could make answer.
 But today neither side really knows the strength of the others position. Time alone can solve the problem. Time alone will tell how long business interests, the exchequer of the state and the purses of i-.~-~-~~~-~>->~~---~---~ -~--~>--~~~-~~~~~~~->
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