The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-04-02
Underwood Replies To
 Anonymous Circular
Used No Abusive Language Metal Workers But Told Them He Was Against Their Eight-Hour Demand While Other Alabama Boys Were Spending
 24 Hours Day in Trenches of France
By HIGH ". RoRERrs

NouJd limit the productive cnpact-
 ffes of machine shops and factories
 to eight hours a day, or anything
 less than a maximum production
 during the period of war. also
 told them that I could not discuss
 reduced production of material in
 the absence of q willingness by
 them to put on uniforms and make
 the same sacrifice for their country
 that was being made by the sol-
 diers in France.-
 Reports had reached the senator of the circulation of such charges in Mo bile. with the understanding that they would be publicly uttered and trans ! mitted to Birmingham, Montgomery and other populous centers He thought it wise, therefore, to state the facts Tn his reply he denies solely that he used abusive language. He admits that he expressed himself vigorously, and that his opinion then was and now is that organized labor should have displayed the same patriotism in pro- ducing war supplies. and in making sacrifices for the cause of the country, as the soldiers of Alabama were dis playing on the fields of France and Flanders.
 The statement of Senator Underwood follows:
 Replying to the charges made in an anonymous ClTCuidT III hODlie l0dl when a committee from the metal trades of Birmingham called on me in Washington in the summer of 1918 while the war was on, I stated the members of the organization were damn slackers and traitors l wish to deny emphatically and without qualifi- cation that I used any such language. recall at the time mentioned that a committee that stated they represented nj o- rna a fra 0f ir mingham did call on me and asked me to go with Mir Gompers to see the secretary of labor and get the secre- tary of labor to take their side in win ming a strike for an eight-hou day that was then taking place in the Bir- mingham district.
 T used no abusive language to the men who called on me. but I told them emphatically that would not go with them. I called to their attention that the soldiers from Alabama were serv- ing the government twenty four hours a day in the front line trenches in France, that the production of fur naces, factories and machine shops in the Birmingham district to a large ex- tent, were supplying the needs for Var munitions; that did not believe that man who was loyal to the govern ment could stand for a position that would limit the productive capacities or these machine shops and factories to a(Rht hours a day. or anything less tn maximum production during MI Beriod of the war and that l could not discuss reduced production of 1 war material in the absence of a will .lngness by them to put on a uniform ana makeathe same sacrifices for their country being. made by the soldiers in France.
 Ut IS also charged so I am informed, that when the ore miners were strik- ing or attempting to strike in Ala pama' stated that would have the strikers stood up against the wall and | shot as traitors l have never mad e any such statement, and I do not re- cali ever having any conversation on the supJect My position in the mat