The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-06-19
WHITES REMARKS AMUSING


 Some of the remarks of President John P. White of the International Mine Workers. in his Wylam speech, were amusing to many of us who re- member the events of 1908 in this dis trict.
 Tt will be remembered that this man White was one of the agitators who instigated the trouble of 1909. He came then, now, waving ths white flag of peace, with orders 10 his followers to raise the red flag a little later on. He announced that he was glad to be here now (while all is peace), but will he be here if the red flag is raised? He was not on that eventful occasion in 1908; but after that flag was tattered by public sem timent and by the determination and force of the operators, he came back to the bloody field of defeat and gave the word to the duped miners to sur render and get work wherever they could
 MT. White said: We have seen great changes in the working condi- tions of men during the last few years, for now the time has come when gen eral conditions are improved.'
 MT. White failed to call attention to the fact that these things have been brought about the past few years
  by the demand of miners unions. for no union has existed in this district since 1908
 WILL NEVER RECOGNIZE UNION
 "The speaker declared he did not want to see the wheels of commerce stop turning in Alabama and yet he must know that the coal operators of Alabama will never recognize his union, nor permit the closed shop, The result of his efforts in 1908 and the peaceful conditions which have followed ought to convince him of the futility of his efforts.
 No intelligent miner can believe for an instant that unionism in this district will advance the wage scale, but all know that wages are regu- lated here by the markets and that the coal operator is not oblivious of the fact that he should meet the labor market as well as the consuming market as a competitor. This has been demonstrated by the voluntary, steady and rapid increase of the scale the past few months, which has now reached a higher mark than was ever known in Alabama.
 NO, the whole object and purposs of MT White and his like is to have the union, of which he is the head re- ceive recognition at the hands of the operators, that he and his associates may feed upon the labor of the men who work in the mines while they are agitating and attempting to dis rupt relations between operators. miners and the general public He is crying peace, peace, and really wants no peace, for peace for nine years has disallowed him the gifts of this min ing people and withheld from him the lioatlons with which they once wor- shipped him as deity
 "I am strongly of the opinion that the coal miners of this district have learned to fear the Greeks bearing gifts"
 In connection with his statement he referred to resolutions adopted at mass meeting in Birmingham in 1908 at the tune or the big coal strike in this dis trict His statement reads as follows: II am heartily in accord with the views | expressed by MT. Walter Moore in re- 1 gard to the agitators who seem bent l upon causing disruptions between the coal miners and operators of this district 1 Il nave already notified the miners | employed by our company that we will not tolerate any interference with our business by any set of men, union or nonunlon, no matter what may be the edicts of the United Mine Workers off /, cials. We have had a taste of such in- | reference and the miners have had a taste of our power of resistance That l power has not waned. but has been strengthened each of the past nine years
 THE REAL SUFFERERS
 The sufferers by the strike of 1908 were the striking miners, their families and the business men of Birmingham and district who experienced general paralysis of business and were daily and nightly alarmed at the social disorder and general lawlessness brought about 1 by the agitators. It is well sometimes | to recite history, that the people may be