The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1917-07-26
General Strike Of Coal
Workers Throughout Dis
trict Is Threatened
PRESIDENT KENNAMER
WIRES PEABODY THsT
MEN ARE INTIMIDATNl
Representatives of Alabama sssa
tors Who Are in Washington r
Charges to Advisory Cor I'd
tee of National Defer
py HUGH w. RoBI

BY HUGH w. ROBT
Washington, July % ~ ssteiff
With threat that unles saa Il ser
alleged to have been sftzzsvs ~
coal operators are INN s
stated n strike In the Sst Aei&S
Alabama is inevitable ~
manner, president of dist..e
United Mine Workers of Amen,
comes today by telegraph to Frank
s. Peabody, chairman of the coal
committee of the council of national
defense.
BY virtue of the telegram OF Mr.. Ken
namer and evidence by wire and in per-
son, purporting to relate the testimony
of Mr.. Kennamer todays session of coal
operators before the coal supply commit
tee of the council of national defense. de-
generated into discussion of labor con-
ditions in Alabama, and other states of
the union. T. l.. Lewis, vice president
of the United Mine Workers of America:
William r. Farley, former Birmingham
labor leader, and others affiliated with
Alabama labor organizations, particle
pated. Operators in Alabama were rep
resented by Morris w. Bush, Charles
Horst Henry DeBardeleben, James A.
Bonnyman, w. c. Adams, Morris Adler.
Walter Henley. Benjamin F. Roden, Wal
ter Moore, John H. Bankhead Jr., and
Charles Z. Rice.
STRIKE IS PREDICTED
AS a result of the discussion the idea
obtained that unless troubled waters are
properly oiled, there will eventually be
a strike in Alabama,- attended by that
variety of unpleasantness which charac-
terized the strike of 1908.
The telegram of Mr.. Kennamer, adj
dressed to Mr. Peabody, is herewith re-
produced:
THE following companies Tennessee
Coal, Iron and Railroad. Republic Iron
and Steel, Birmingham Fuel and Iron,
Corona Coal and Iron, Pratt Consolidated
Coal, Mccormack & Ramsay Coal. Cal
loway Coal and Empire Coal, have dis
charged upward of 700 men for joining
our organization, and some of these COM /
panies have served eviction notices os
our members to vacate houses
THE Woodward Coal and Iron cola-
pany, Birmingham Fuel and Iron COM
pany and the DeBardeleben Coal COM
pany have employed gunner. to intimi-
date and prevent their employees from
exercising their constitutional rights in
Joining our organization. Unless imme-
date steps are taken to reinstate men
who have been discharged and to put
stop to the intimidation and coercion OF
tho miners by these companies. a strike
in the coal fields in the state of Alabama
is inevitable. j. r. KENNAMER,
president District No. 20, United Mine
Workers Of America
CHARGES ARE DENIED
When notified that Mr.. Kennamer had
so wired and SO threatened, presidents
of the several companies mentioned
above wired contrary evidence, each in
the main disputing the testimony OF
Mr. Kennamer. G. B. Mccormack. pres
ident of the Pratt Consolidated, repre-
sented that no man by his company
had been discharged for joining the
union, that no man had been discharged
who had RETAINED from intimidating
Others and who had expressed willing
ness to do a days work for days
wages. He expressed belief that labor
agtators by threats against life and
limb had secured enlistments in the
union roll, and had forced Others OPP
posed to unionism out of the district.
He represented that labor agitators had
not confined their attempts at intimi-
dation to workmen but had stalked
boldly among women and children. He
referred to the closing down of the
mines at Maxine, and to the injunction
proceedings which had by his company
been instituted against certain individ-
uals alleged to have attempted to in
tcrfere with the peaceful operation OF
those mines. He expressed the opinion
that strike, to be attended by the hor
rors of 1905, was practically Inevitable.
MOORE MAKES STATEMENT
Other operators wired to similar eff
feet. Walter Moore. in person, made
the following brief statement:
mo man has been discharged for join
ing the union Those who have been
discharged are guilty of either Interior
ing with the peaceful operations OF
mines of intimidation directed against
those who would work under conditions
which have obtained since 1908, or Of
disnclination to render service in pro-
portion to his wage.
1.-THE representations of Mr.. Kennamer
rare singular. solely from the fact that
they have no basis in truth
OUTLOOK NOT GOOD
AS a result of the days discussion.
1T is made plain that a strike In Alabama
is imminent. II is not believed, however,
that an order for a strike will emanate
from headquarters of the United Mine
Workers Of America. The international
crisis would deter it is believed, any or
ganization from taking action which
would seriously interfere with the prepa-
ration by the government for it's struggle
against Germany. On the other hand,
there is little doubt but that Chairman
Peabody would refrain from recommend
ing government intercession OF other
than a concliatory nature in situa-
tion the basis of which was opposition
to the unionism or the closed shop.
1t is gathered that the government. II