The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-23
BOTH MCCORMACK
 AND KENNAMER ARE | ASKED ID REPORT Practically All Miners in District Are Again Re- ported at Work PRATT MEN DECIDE TO RESUME DUTIES
 Kennamer Claims That Some of the Men Who Arc Willing Are Not Allowed to Return to Mines

to Mines Washington, February 22.-(SpeciaD By long distance telephone this morning II. A. Garfield, fuel administrator, called upon George B. Mccormack, pres ident of the Alabama Coal Operators association, and J. R. Kennamer, presi- dent of district No. %, United Mine Workers of America, for concise state ments as to the developments in the embryonic strike in the Birmingham dis trict.
 These statements will be in possess sion of the fuel administrator in the morning Following their reception. pr. Garfield will be in position to judge whether or not it will be advisable to carry out his original plan of sending an investigator to the district.
 Rembrandt Peale holds himself in readiness to go whenever instructed.
 Mr Mccormack, over the telephone, declared to the administrator that the situation gave strong evidence of clear ing up to the satisfaction of all con cerned He declared that during the day he would interview George Gordon Crawford, president of the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company, with the view of attempting to compose the situation He reiterated his former con tention that the sending of govern ment representative to this place was unnecessary.
 The report of MT. Kennamer was also
 
 three mines of the Tennessee company now idle would be working tomorrow as a. result of his pacific efforts with the employees during the night. He deciared' however, that in his opinion it would be wise for Dr. Garfield to carry out his original plan of sending represent ative to the district.
 The verdict of the fuel administrator after hearing both reports, was that the situation showed distinct signs of inn provement-
 MCCORMACK STATEMENT
 President Mccormack of the Coal Operators association stated last night that he had made report to the iuei administrator by telephone or the con ditions here yesterday.
 "I told him the exact sitution as see it." said Mr. Mccormack. T told him that most of the men in the dis- trlct who had been idle had returned today and that even the men of the Pratt division who on Thursday voted not to go to work reconsidered their action today and decided to re-enter the mines I also told him that the Republic company had shown large ly increased number of men at work today and that the situation here was approaching normal very rapidly"
 KENNAMER REPORTS
 President J. R. Kennamer of tho miners union said last night that he had talked to MT. White over the teie- phone in Washington during the day and sent a night letter on the situ- ation.
 "In this letter." said MT. Kennamer. "I told him that some of the men in the district had returned to work, some had not been allowed to return, some had been served with trespass notices and some had been formally dis charged, especially in the Pratt divl- sion, although the Pratt men had re- considered their vote and decided to go back to work.
 1T also told him that some of tho men at Johns were not allowed to re- turn to work when they offered to do so and that at the Sayreton mine of the Republic company the superintend- ent refused to let the men return who were willing to do so."
 GREATEST IMPROVEMENT
 There was much improvemenb in tho situation among the coal mines of the district yesterday and according to re- ports practically all of the striking miners have gone back to work.
 Since the men were called out the Mine Workers union has been issu- ing scrip to the strikers which has been good for groceries and other commodities at several of the stores in the vicinity of the mines. Upon the refusal of some of the men to return to work. this issuance of scrip was stopped and it is stated many of them returned to work yesterday.
 At Edgewater and Bayview mines of the Tennessee Coal. Iron and Railroad company 1t is reported that the out put yesterday was almost normal and that at the mines in the Wylam dis trict there was big increase in the production, many men having returned to work yesterday
 There was another mass meeting held at Pratt City yesterday at which several of the officials of the Mine Workers union urged the men to re- turn to work pending the settlement of the differences. which they did.
 At the other mines of the district conditions are improving and 1t Is stated the situation will soon become normal.