The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-07
KA R MOORE ON
 .EE SYSTEM EVILS Plays Havoc With Employer
 of Labor HOW THE SHOPPERS ACT Industrial Men Generally Agreed That Fee System Is Greatest Handicap
 Tn Handling the Labor
 Situation
HOW THE SHOPPERS ACT

Walter Moore, member of the Ala bama Coal Operators executive commit tee, and one of the most widely known coal operators in the Birmingham dis trict, yesterday added his unconditional approval of the plans to reform the pres ent system of fees prevailing In this coun- ty. He gave as a reason the fact that deputies and spotters get into the labor camps of the district, make up a craps game or sell whisky, and they call forth a bunch of officers and carry the crowd of negroes off to prison. He said the en- tire system smacked of oppression and Russia, and the best possible effects would result here to the industrial com panies if the method of paying fees were trimmed down. He said:
 T have no desire to act as reformer on any side of any question, but I am unalterably opposed to the oppression of constables for the sole purpose of snatch ing some fees from the poor, downtrodden workmen. When the laborers in this dis trict are made to suffer and work so that some petty officer may swell the pursestrings of the man higher up, 1t is time to call a halt.
 "I have know 1t to happen that spot ters from the officers have come into camps and worked up a craps game for the sole purpose of grabbing the negroes when the officers, before posted, swooped down upon the unsuspecting negroes. That is the worst form of oppression and should be remedied.
 Another thing. labor will not remain here under those conditions, and we are handicapped in operating the mines. When three or four drivers, for instance, are put in jail 1t is out of the question to run the mines until their places are filled or until they are taken out of the clutches of the mighty officers. Then tine company walks up with the money of the negro, or poor white man, and pays him out of Jail. In short time pay day comes around, the man Is counting on so much money, but when his envelope pointment and chagrn are written on his face. The result is he asks for an ex- planation, gets 1t and quits the job.
 Tt seems to me that the industrial men here who create the wealth of this city have suffered long enough from difficult ties. We have labored long and hard to secure a better public sentiment, and this is of no value if we do not free our men of this tyranny The wages. en- vironments, houses, mines and conditions here are as good as anywhere on the face of the earth, but labor Is back ward about coming here as long as we re- tain the present antiquated forms of oppression"
 The industrial men here are very much interested in the efforts to reform the fee system, and are far removed from any selfish motives in the reformation. It is nothing out of their pocket for the raids to be made except Indirectly. The statements of George Mccormack were freely discussed yesterday around in dustrial offices, and almost all of the operators agreed with his statements that 1t is time to do something to help this district on the labor situation.
 One man yeserday said that railroad contractors who invariably employ hun dreds of laborers were backward about working here on account of the fee sys- tenn. He said that 1t was common gossip that officers are carried on the pay rolls of the contractors and mine operators to get them to keep hands off the workmen for petty violations
 It is said the officers are told that their work will be to keep the peace around the camp, and that they are paid so much per month for that service. But their employment is solely for protecting the men from raids.