The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1917-12-22

monthly pay day; eight-hour working
The vote was taken late yesterday
evening at the conference of the mine
workers of district No. 20, held In
the Chamber of Commerce auditorium
at which practically every mine IN the
district was represented. The miners
have been in session for two days, ad-
iourning yesterday afternoon, and the
terms of the agreement discussed al
length behind closed doors Al tne
close of the arguments yesterday ait
ernoon a vote was taken wh1ch re-
suited in the ratification of the propo-
sition by vote of 234 for and IS
against. 1t was stated that when the
vote was announced many of those
who voted against the recommends
ton expressed their Willingness to
stand by the majority.
Besides the local leaders, which in
cluded President Kennamer and Sec
rotary Clemo of the local organiza-
ton, Thomas King, William Harrison
and others, there were in attendance
Vice President John l.. Lewis of the
national organization and Adam VIII
kinson, national committeeman from
Montana, all of whom took part in
the debate.
sU,oyaIty Americanism and
desire to stand by the government
In the present national crisis were
;mnortant factors in deciding the
rronosition,, stated Vice President
Lewis Inst night. "Some OF the
recommendations made by the
fuel administrator met with oppo-
sition from the large majority OF
the delegates, but as the vote VIII
show, they accepted the PROPOSE
lions in their entirety. The mat
ter is now with the coal opera
TORS and ff acted on favOrably the
nrotracted controversy between
the operators and mine workers OF
the state will be Mt an end"
The recommendations are as follows:
United States Fuel Administration,
Washington, D. c.
December IA, 1917.
To the Mine Workers of Alabama.
Gentlemen: In view of the protracted
negotiations between the Alabama
Coal Operators association (by their
representatives, Messrs. G. B. McCor-
mack. T. H. Bankhead, Jr., and Erskine
Ramsay, of the one part, and the Mihe
Workers of Alabama (by their repre-
sentatives, Messrs. John L. Lewis, j. Il
Kennamer, William Harrison, John
John Smith, Thomas King, Thomas
Hammond and J. w. HarrelD, or the
other part, held during the last three
DAYS at the office of the United States
fuel administrator. Washington, L. CT
and in view of the urgent necessity
brought about by tie war for lndus-
trial harmony and for Increased pro-
duction Of coal; and having heard ftliy
the arguments presented by ooth sloes
10 the controversy, rho United states
fue, administrator recommends the fol
lowing settlement of matters in dis
pute:
OPERATORS RECOGNIZE RIGHT
/. That the coal operators of Alabama
recognize the right of their employees
to Join any union, labor organization
or society they may choose, and agree
that they shall not be Disseminated
a -ainst in the distribution of work Tor
having Joined such organization, pro-
viding always that in their utilization
and in the conduct of the organization
nothing is done to disturb the relations
existing between employer and en-
ploye by methods of intimidation or CO.
ercion, and provided that employees
Joining any organization recognize the
right of each employe to join or not
as he may individually decide, and also
recognize the right of the company to
insist that no employe shall use the
companys time for any purpose other
than that for which he is paid and that
he must not interfere with the opera
ton of the mine or knowingly do that
which will reduce the output.