The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-09-18
EQUAL PROTECTION ASSURED ID ALL BY
 GENERAL STEINER
National Guard on Duty in the Coal Fields of District. Company Is Held For
 Emergency

Five companies of Alabama National Guard have been placed on active duty in the coal fields of the district. Four local companies left dur ing the day yesterday over a special train that has been kept waiting for them at the Terminal station for the past forty-eight hours.
 Company M from Tuscaloosa, in com mand of Captain Lollar, has been sta toned at Cordova. They left the city late yesterday afternoon
 Company E of Ensley, in command Of Captain Davis, has been stationed at Cordova, Company G. in Command of Captain Moore, is now on active duty at Townley. Company K, in command Of Captain French, is stationed at Brad ford, while the local headquarters Company in charge of Captain Allen is stationed at Empire
 The company from Opelika arrived in the city last night and is being held here in case of an emergency. The na- tional guard is now on active duty in five counties, and full arrangements are being fast completed to get all of the coal districts and the scenes where the greatest disorder has occurred under the protection of the guards,
 Gen. Robert E. Steiner who is in com mand of all the troops in the state, IS sued the following statement last night:
 TO RESTORE ORDER
 "The troops were called out on ac- count of the overt acts which have e. suited in the death of at least two citi- zens of the state and the woundng of others. The purpose of the governor in sending the troops to the mineral ds- tricts was to restore law and order where necessary, and at all hazards protect the peace and dignity of the state.
 "We will afford the same pro-
 lection to all law-abiding people,
 whether black white. union or
 non-uniOn, miner or operator, and
 none need think we will take sides,
 except against the lawbreaker.
 "It seems proper in view of what We intend to do, to advise those who wish to know, what are some of the legal rights of the National Guard:
 "The legislature of 1910 among other things, conferred upon the National Guard all the powers and rights given to the Regular Army under what is known as the national defense act. In addition thereto, the right to assume control of all area of trouble and for q sufficient distance around same to function as needed. To prevent all in- flammatory or incendiary speeches and | all conduct calculated to cause a breach of the peace, giving the right to prevent meetings and assemblies, the result of which would be to tend to bring about above conditio Also to prevent the marching on the roads of bodies of men and to disarm all per- |sons except those who have the legal right to bear arms.
 JURISDICTION
 Under the above I have assumed jurisdiction of all the mines and terri tories adjacent in Jefferson, Walker, Bibb Tuscaloosa and Shelby and other counties in the mineral districts of Ala bama, and will prevent all meetings and assemblies tending to cause disorder, and marching in bodies in those terri tories and will dsarm all those not au- thorized to bear arms.
 'The National Guard of Alabama is of sufficient strength to guarantee the safety of all in the pursuit of their law ful business, but if needed the governor can call out for active service all citi- zens of the state between the ages Of IS and 45 years.
 q confidentially believe all law-abid- ing citizens will not only approve of the action hut will co-operate with tho