The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-08-04
TO AVOID VARIOUS CLAIMS

TO AVOID VARIOUS CLAIMS It is not my purpose to discuss the various claims, charges and conclusions of either side to this controversy. As a | citizen of this community. however, in terested in Its welfare and progress; as an American sadly conscious of the stu pendous and desperate task which we have set ourselves to perform; as a father, like thousands of others, who will be called upon not only to give abun- dantly of their substance, but of their a right to suggest that the general pub lie of this district is vitally concerned in the outcome of this controversy, aside from the purely material and selfish considerations involved.
 Our government is now at war and it is going to take it's full and united strength to cope successfully with the difficult problems confronting it. Mill lions of our best young lives will per haps soon speed across the waters and shed their blood for the honor of our country and for the perpetuation of lib- erty and enlightened civilization throughout the world. We who have not been called upon to make this greatest SdCTlIlCe are uOL yet Tree 10 forget them; are not yet free to pursue our
 own tasks to further our own interests in blind minimizing indifference to those larger responsibilities and duties which every loyal American must now in honor perform.
 NEED SUPPORT OF ALL The President of the United States
 needs now as he has never needed
 before the loyal support and sym
 pathy of every class of society; there
 must stand behind him every re- source of this country in both men and material ready for instant use. Reorganization or stoppage of indus tries which are necessary in the con- duct of war from whatever cause will subject those responsible to the just condemnation of all right thinking men. | The production of coal in large quan- titles is necessary in the prosecution of the war If the operators are not paying just wages, the men have a right to complain and demand a change. If living or working condi- tions are bad they should be remedied If injustice of any kind is practiced it should not continue for both the workman and the owner should re- ceive his share fairly and generously. l am frank to say that in my opinion the miners, if they so choose, have a perfect right to organize. There IS | nothing in law or morals to prevent it. It is question which they alone should decide. and each individual should be allowed without threats or intimidations. to make his own deci- sion. No organization can permanently live and be of use to society. however, unless in or of itself it commands tho voluntary respect. confidence and all legiance of those committed to it's au thority
 WORK ON OPEN SHOP PLAN As I understand the present situa- tion the operators as rule have not sought to prevent the organization of unions. The district since 1908 has been working under the open shop plan, which means that union and non union men have done their tasks side by side. and that contracts have been ! made directly between the owners and individuals. The situation seems now to be that the operators have been asked to recognize the union, dealing with the men only through it and that the individual relations now existing between employer and employe with reference to work, wages and condi- tions shall altogether cease. The oper- ators prefer. it seems. to deal direct ly with their men and have or will decline to recognize the union There are, l believe. other minor matters in- jected into the controversy which are perhaps intended to becloud the one true issue. but I am persuaded that the public knows now or soon will know | the real point of difference.
 It has been said that unless the union I is recognized a strike will follow, and that the production Of coal in this dis l trict will cease. It has been further
 said that thousands of our miners will seek work elsewhere and permanently disappear from our midst. It Is useless, think to conceal the fact that strike at this time in the coal fields would | paralyze every industry in our midst | It would mean that in few weeks every railroad would be tied up as far | as serving this community Is concerned. It would mean that every manufactur- l ing plant would be forced to suspend I operations, and that labor of all kinds would be jobless and hungry. It would
 mean that our merchants would be with out customers. The price of coal would
 be prohibitive except to the rich The ! government in its preparations for war | in troop and supply movement especially
 would be sorely handicapped. The train 1 ing of our young men who are soon to l face the enemy might be delayed or per 1 haps curtailed In one case reaching | the other side too late. and in the otnel l forced to the front in no condition to | stand it's hardships.
 KEEP OTHERS OUT
 l strike now means not only the stop ping of work by those belonging to the