The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-06-18
International President Tells Hearers That the Miners Just Demands Must Be Heard and Granted SPEAKS TONIGHT
 AT CAPITOL PARK
 TO URGE HIS CAUSE Says All Should Act With Good of the Country at Heart During Time
 of Stress

My mission here is a peaceful one," declared President John P. White of the International United Mine Workers of America to a crowd of between 1000 and 1500 people at Wylam yesterday afternoon.
 "The mine workers have the strong est union in the world today and that is largely because they have followed peaceful methods" continued MT. White.
 He referred at length to the miners strike of 1908 in the Birmingham dis trict and said he had spoken on numerous platforms of the great fight the men made at that time.
 Tt was a bitter pill,'' he said, when
 
 render after you had won your fight. It would have done us more harm than good to have continued, however, and I had to give the word"
 MEETING HELD IN GROVE
 The speaking yesterday was held in a large grove in the outskirts of Wylam and was attended by miners from all the ,,eo rt11 r 1lIo the obligation was administered to a number of new members and it was claimed that so many had already joined that the situation in that section was highly satisfactory to the union officials
 MT. Whites appearance was the culmi- nation of meetings which have been held in the mining sections for several weeks
 President White will speak In Bir- mingham tonight at o'clock. He will deliver his address in Capitol park and it was understood last night that rep resentatives from many of the mining camps all over the district had made ar engagements to be present The union meeting which was to have been held at Pratt City tonight has been postponed in order that those interested may come to the Birmingham meeting.
 WILL LEAVE TOMORROW
 In his speech yesterday MT. White urged his hearers to be careful to do nothing that would hamper the country in carrying on the war. Tonights speech is the only other talk he will make in the district He will leave for Washing ten tomorrow morning.
 Several other meetings in the interest of the union organization movement were held over the district yesterday, one of Blue Creek field.
 President White in his address at Wy lam yesterday said:
 T am certainly glad to be here this afternoon and see such large number Of you mine workers out.
 q always like to be with the laborers and get in touch with them and work with them. When l was 13 years old 1 began work in a mine at the princely salary of 50 cents a day for Il hours work.
 TOLD OF PLUCKY STRUGGLE
 q have been through everything you have to stand and I know just how you feel and how you sometimes suffer. 1 am a miner just as you are and your in- terests are always next my heart. You have a particular place in my memory, because of your gallant fight back in 190S
 Ut was a bitter pill for me when I had to give the word for you to surrender after you had won your fight. It would have done us more harm than good to have continued however, and l had to give the word.
 q have told ~ef your fight from every rostrum in this country and every mir-f in the United States knows of your plucky struggle. The glad day has come at last. though, when we will not have to surrender, but will hold our victory that has been won so dearly and enjoy the fruits of our labors. The time has come when our just demands must be heard and granted and the laboring man will come into the enjoyment of what is rightfully his own. We are strong where once we were weak, and have the strength to back up our demands if nec- eSsary
 .'ln the very first place, though, | want to say to the capitalists, to the business men of Birmingham and to all interested, that my mission here is peaceful one. do not come to stir up trouble of any kind fOf. anyone The motto of 0tr Orpar-