The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-09-07
NO CHANGE IN THE
 STAND OF ETHER
 PARTY ID STRIKE
Nothing Has So Far Developed to Indicate Any Modifica- ton of Attitude of Opera
 tors or Miners

The general mine strike de-
 clared by the Alabama division
 of the United Mine Workers of
 America is scheduled to begin this midnight.
 Nothing occurred yesterday indicating to what extent the miners would obey the call. 1t will be Wednesday morning, | when the mine whistles blow for work, before it is known how many of the men now at work will join the minority now on strike.
 w. L. Harrison, Ala bama organizer for the union, reported nothing out of the ordinary as occurring yesterday. The strike is not scheduled to begin until midnight of Tuesday, he said, Thence
 we were not looking for any Monday developments.
 The coal operators reported the usual Monday coal production at all mines heard from. Comment was made on the comparatively small number of miners who came to town to witness or take part in the Labor Day parade. Among the mines reported as active yesterday were these
 Sipsey Margaret, Acmar Marvel, Bel | tona, Burnwell, Samoset, Republic, Palos Sayreton, Piper, Pratt Fuel, Empire, Dora, Yolande, Davis Creek and all the large mines of the iron and steel cor porations.
 "A good Monday run was the state ] ment of the operators.
 ABOUT CONTRACTS When Organizer Harrison was asked what would be done with the contracts already made with operators in case the union won the general strike, he said:
 "All the contracts approved by the union have been made with the under standing that they are to be interpreted according to the ruling of the bituminous coal commission. In making some of these contracts we waived the demand for s1 per day for day workers for the time being on representation by the oper- ators with whom we contracted that they would be at disadvantage If forced to pay the S per day advance to day labor when at mines where we did not have contracts only the 20 per cent advance was being paid. We did not wish the operators with whom we had contracts to be at a disadvan- tage, so we waived the s1 per diem with clear understanding that this and other matters were still open to future arbitration.
 All contracts are said to be on the same basis. We modified our demands in order to effect an amicable settle |. all questions, including recognition Of the union All settlements must be made on the basis of our call for the general strike
 "The questions which we originally submitted to the bituminous coal conn mission are now at issue. No settie- ment can be made that does not carry with it recognition of the union." | This flat-footed statement, that recog- milton of the union is oneo the issues, l is borne out by the call for the strike, which declares as first of the demands l of the union this:
 | "First-We demand the same system
 | of collective bargaining as obtains with | the organized miners in other districts 1 throughout the country"
 | The general strike will start with the l flat footed demand for recognition of l the union and equally flat-footed stand against recognition of. the union | on the part of the operators All other I issues have been driven into the back ground more than they have ever been | Meetings were held by the union leaders at many mining camps on Sum- | day and yesterday. What effect they 1 shall have had will not be noticeable until the strike call goes into effect at
 midnight tonight.
 WAITED TOO LATE | The striking miners do not appear to | be impressed by the governors appoint | ment of commission to investigate the differences between the miners and op- orators and requesting the calling off of the strike pending such investigation i S S. Jenkins president of the Townley i local, wired the following to District President J. R. Kennamer yesterday morning:
 | "The miners of Townley do not approve 1 of the eleventh hour position taken by Gov Thomas F. Kilby. calling on | you to postpone strike. We are of the
 /! opinion that the governor has waited
 i! too long and we are thoroughly con- | vnced should you issue orders calling | off or postpomng walkout that it would 1 deal a death blow to our organization | in Alabama The majority of the Ala bama operators absolutely ignored tha President of the United States under
 similar circumstances How, then, could
 we conveniently expect them to accept
 the findings of the Alabama commission
 ] admitting for arguments sake that their
 | findings would in every particular favor the miners of Alabama? Assuring you of our continued support and steadfast. ! ness"