The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-07-30
Big Attendance at Barbecue and Speaking at East
 Lake Yesterday
PROMINENT MEN ARE
 AMONG THE SPEAKERS
Crockard Discusses Relations of Elm ployer and EmplOye-Sanitary Discussions We're Feature
 of the Meeting

The annual outing and barbecue of tho Alabama Operators association, held al Last Lake yesterday, was the most sue. cessful in the history of that organiza- tion. The speeches were more varied, the better than ever before, according to the general expression.
 The meeting was held in the Casino which was rendered for the meeting by K. E. Murphy, manager of East Lake and Frank H. Crockard presided over the sessions. He made an introductory speech upon the relations of the employee and employe. which was roundly ap- plauded
 The speakers were Prof. G. N. Mitchan of Auburn, upon the Sanitary Improve ments for Mining Camps;' Chief Mine h. spector Nesbitt, Dr. Rutledge of the bu- Teau of mines; Edward Flynn and Lectur- CT Groves of the Tennessee company; Dr. w. H. Harrison and William M. McGrath
 A great deal of the discussion had to do with sanitation surrounding the lives of the miners and the prevention of dis ease among the workmen. That topic Is engaging the serious attention of the as- sociation members and the information spread yesterday is calculated to go a long way toward a betterment of the con 6itions.
 CT, said:
 MT. Crockard's Speech
 The constitution ot the Alabama Coal Operators association states that one of it's objects shall be to promote stable, just, harmonious and busjness-like rela- tions between the coal operators of Ala bama, their employees and the public.
 The association is three years old this month. During this period it has abund- antly demonstrated it's value to the three interests previously named.
 In securing reduction in freight rates of 15 cents per ton to common and june ton points in Mississippi under the rates of Illinois and Kentucky mines to these points. all of the three interests have been benefited.
 Through the efforts of the association the sum of s13,50O was contributed for the benefit of dependents of the victims of the mine explosion which occurred last year.
 The association has secured, through thS SuCccSSlul tnoitS oi tntS . oiS- tinguished representative, Mir Under wood, an appropriation for a government mine rescue station, work on which is now in progress.
 The relations for the last three years between operators and miners have been of most cordial character.
 Lastly. and perhaps the most important work of the association. is the present mining law, prepared by the mine casual ty and executive committees of the asso- citation. This law embraces the most i'm portant features of the advanced mining laws of this country, and as means are provided for it's rigid enforcement, by a larger and better paid corps of inspec- tors than formerly, we may reasonably hope and expect to see a reduction in the coal mining accidents of the state This law is foundation upon which this asso- citation must build a policy so designed that continuance of the pleasant rela- tions now existing between employer and employe may be indefinitely continued. Fortunately, or unfortunately, nothing in this world is perfect, not even ideals. Nevertheless we must have ideals If we are to progress, and in this connection let 1t be noted that the ideal varies with the individual, who, for the present purpose, may be classified as follows:
 First-The humane and intelligent em- ployer
 Second-The employer who is neither or intelligent, and in addition these handieaps, is wholly and absolute ly selfishly indifferent.
 Third-The multitude of variants found between these two extremes.
 It is evident that under these conditions We cannot hope to have uniform ideals and perhaps mine are badly out of line with yours.
 At any rate, if I were asked to roughly sketch the outlines of a policy following what I shall call, for want of more suitable term, "a commercial ideal, l would offer the following:
 First-The man. He should be physi- cally sound, mentally alert, morally up right, without srouch, citizen of the United States or one who has declared his intention to become such.
 Now, how can we practically develop such man within a reasonable interpre- tation of the specifications? To be physi- caly sound he must be properly housed It is not to the credit of the coal mining industry to state that there are in the United States miners houses which are not good enough for cattle, and some of these are in Alabama. Put yourself in the other fellows place. and what would you require of place called home? First Of all, you would want a water-tight roof, next you would want sufficient windows, glazed. with glass, not with rags or newspapers, to afford the necessary light and ventilation imposed by modern sanitary requirements. You would like