The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-07-14
LETTERS TO EDITOR
Nesbitt's Recent Report

To the Editor OF The Age-Herald.
We notice in your issue of the 10th in
stant the annual report of Chief Mine III
speetor Charles J. Nesbitt and in the con-
clusion of his report he makes the follow
ing statement relative to the outside con-
ditions and improvements installed by the
Operators's .:ssocia .ion, as it affects the
miners living conditions. namely. that
the work and improvements consist in the
construction. remodeling, painting dwell
ing houses, churches, auditoriums, com
missaries, club houses, reading rooms and
the installation of sanitary privies, Sep
tic tanks, incinerators, filters tanks and
water systems, draining and oiling ponds,
fencing yards and gardens, seavenger
service, manual training, domestic science
classes, moving picture and lyceum enter
tainments, truck gardening and flower
culture.
He further says the greatest of all is in
the market and food stuff department,
where hygiene and cleanliness are above
criticism and the place where these are
stored being thoroughly screened from
flies, insects and Vermin and that the
clerks handling these articles are neat AID
careful, some of them wearing clean white
duck suits. He also states that the living
condition ami housing of the mine en-
ployes of Alabama are far better than any
other class of wotkmen in the state and
are equal to any and better in MANY
places in the mi1ilg districts. Now We
are sorry that it is necessary for us 10
give out a statement srefuting the article
practically in toto of Chief Mine Inspec-
tor Nesbitt but we would be untrue TO
ourselves and the miners in this district
whom we represent if he did not do SO.
We want to say at the outset that II this
article had come from the Operators as
sociation we would not have paid any at
tention to 1T, but the fact that 1t comes
from the chief mine inspector of the state
warrants our reply for the reason thal
Mr. Nesbitt, whether Intentional or not,
conveys a misleading impression to the
public as to the reforms sppken of in his
article and that the miners life in Ala
bama is a perfect paradise, such is not
the case. 1t is true that the Tennessee
company at its new openings have IN
stalled modern machinery and have built
some very good houses for their miners
with better sanitary conditions, ETC., than
exist at other c;umps, but even they
haven't gone TO the extent that Mr. Ncs-
one or two other companies which have
made some improvement we want to give
credit to whom credit is due, and we
make that statement In justice to the
above company spoken of. We are in feii
accord with the work of the sind spoken
of by Mr.. Nesbitt, and we will indorse
and support heartily reforms of this char
acter, and they should exist at the mining
camps of she district, but unfortunately
bnxr dc, avis IN NPSbift fb1t
the housing and living conditions of the
miners in The state are far better than
any other class of laboring people within
the state. God pity them If that be true,
but we have our doubts. Mr. Nesbtt
takes great pains to boost the operators,
reforms and movements ny
such incorrect statements, but never once
GOES he say anything about the intolerahle
conditions of employment of the miners of
the district. Strange, isn't it? Mr.. Mes
bitt went very far out of his way to IL:
corporate this article in his report. rhe
law did not require it and we respectfully
ask Mr. Nesbitt why he rendered such an
article as the one referred to. We are
prepared to show the public just how
much or how little of This reform work
has been installed in this district If Mr..
Nesbitt deems it necessary. Misleading
statements of this character have been
emanating from the operators association
in glaring headlines through the press and
have been heralding them over this state
and country for public effect and favor,
and it seems that Mr.. Nesbitt is using
his good offices of state mine inspector
to perpetuate and boost these gross mis-
representations of the operators assoca-
ton As we said in the outset. we are will
ing and glad to give credit and praise
where it is ..de, but we ure not willing 70
have articles or statements of this char
acter go by unchallenged. Respectfully,
j. L.. CI.EMC,
Secy. United Mine Workers. Dist. 20.
WM. HARRISON,