The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-21

Birmingham entered upon
street railway strike at midnight
Inst night.
II was claimed by union men last
night that no cars will be run by
the Birmingh Railway. Light
and Power company today unless
men and conductors. The Tide Water
IS not affected. Neither does the
strike called last night include the
allied union crafts.
At a meeting attended by some
$50 or 200 men In the knights of
Columbus hnIi last night n local
Railway Employees of America was
organized by william WeIch. Fiji
teen minutes later the new born
union unanimously voted to call a
strike. and under the Instructions
Of Organizer WeIch, the man who
II alleged to have been deported
last Friday night by officials and
employees of the Birmingham Rail-
way, Light and Power company. the
men left In a body for the street
ear barns to bring back with them
other motormen and conductors as
they brought in their cars for the
night. wats
The extent of the strike appeared to be
the only uncertain feature of the situation
up until early this morning. The strikers
cannot tie up the operations of the Bir-
mingham Railway, Light and Power conf
pany unless they have sufficient numbers
and this remains to be seen. 1t is gem
orally believed, however, that the organiz-
ers of the strike would not have allowed
1t to have been called last night unless
they knew that a majority of the Bir-
mingham Railway, Light and Power men
would quit work. 1t was claimed at head
quarters unofficially that the union con-
trolls 75 per cent of the motormen and
conductors.
WEIGH ON THE JOB
WEEK AFTER DEPORTATION
One week ago last night at little after
10 o'clock William Welch. organizer for
the street car employees union, mysteri-
ously left the Empire hotel after stating
that he had been threatened by Birming-
ham Railway, Light and Power company
employees and disappeared. Last night at
the same hour Welch was organizing the
local street car union. the members of
which were leaving for the car barns to
escort their fellow workmen to che hall
as Clement Wood extracted with a great
deal of alacrity from the strings of the
X. OF c. piano, the strains of when 1.-THE
Midnight Choo-choo Leaves For Ala
bam.''
The plan of procedure under which the
strike was organized last flight was SIM
pie. A general meeting of all union men
attended by about $50 men was held in
the hall and as the street car men were
relieved from their days work they came
in by twos and threes. Speeches along
general unionism and labor lines were
made by members of the crowd at ram
dom.
WEIGH POLLS CROWD
FOR STREET RAILWAY MEN
About 1890 o'clock Organizer Weloh
took the floor and divided the audience
by asking all street car men to assem-
Dic OH one Sue. 1neTe were dpOul 10
street car men present and when they
had gathered ON the one side of the hall,
Mr.. Welch administered the obligation OF
the union to them 1t was a solemn cere-
mony. Every man stood UP and held up
his right hand as he repeated the oath
of the union after Mr.. Welch. On vote
asked for by Mr.. Welch it was evident
that a good deal over half of the men
were active, that is, had not been dis
charged by the street car company
Welch then told them the plan of pro-
cedure, after the resolution calling the
strike at midnight had beer unanimously
adopted. lie stated that every man
should leave the haIl Immediately and go
to the car barns or as tfti tiit ~ barns
ms deputy sheriffs woul l3~ AT as the
men came into the barn tgjaa ri their
cars to organize them ifst ilns ef marcl,
-..-.-s - = -.>~~eS>uo
1Csntinued On sas' 5e4l