The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-09-18
THE BIRMINGHAM AGEHERALD SATURDAY. SEPTEMBER 8 1920

i officials to withhold the call for gem eral strike pending our investigation had failed. Yet we felt that it was worth while to pursue our inquiry, to ascertain the facts and to report our conclusions
 For a period of ten days we have been holding conferences, not merely with the representatives of the opera tors and the miners but also with in- terested citizens. We have made ap- peal to the public to present such data as might be helpful in the solution Of the problem. Through these conferences and investigations and inquiries the commission has secured authentic in- formation regarding the real issue
 That issue. reduced to it's ultimate analysis, s in brief, matter of recog- hilton of the United Mine Workers of America. Neither party to the con troversy has been willing to submit this fundamental issue to arbitration. BASIS OF COMPLAINT No complaint has been submitted to us regarding working hours living conditions or wages, with the single exception that, in the matter of the wage award of the Bitumihous Coal ! Commission, the operators had inter- preted the report of that comm isison regarding the increased pay to the
 day worker" in one way and the . union mine officials in another way.
 The net difference in interpretation when reduced to figures is so incon- siderable that it cannot possibly be regarded as an important factor in
 the serious controversy now under consideration. The real bone of con- tention is, as previously stated, recog- milton of the miners union. The union officials claim that the bituminous coal commission expressly provided in it's findings that the operators should meet them in conference. The opera tors deny that claim. The union of- ficials sought to effect such meet ing in order thereby to force recog- milton. The operators refused to meet the union officials in order thereby to obviate that very thing
 The facts regarding the action of the bituminous coal commission on this point are;
 CD The commissisn in dealing with the Alabama, Tesaessee, eastern Kentucky and Maryland fields recom- mended that "the operators arrange to meet with representativ of the miners of these districts and to put into effect the award of the commits sion to the end that industri peace and tranquility may prevail"
 CD The union officials maintain that this recommendation in reality constitutes an award of the cqmmis- sion. This the operators deny citing the fact that the operator from this district, as the records show, did not appear before the comm sison, but in fact filed letters with the commission to the effect that they have no joint relations with the mine workers of their district.'
 (3.) The union officials assert that the words, representatives of the miners" refer specifically to district union mine officials; that their organ ization is the only existing organiza- tion representing the miners, and that their appearance before the commits sion and recognition by it support their claim that the commission had them in mind. The operators maintain that the union miners constitute a minority of mine workers in this dis trict and that the union mine officials representing a minority, have no right to constitute themselves the "represen- tatives of the miners" of this district.
 (4) The operators maintain that having promptly put into effect the award of the bitumfnous ~ coal com mission. there was in no event any reason to arrange meeting with the representatives of the miners" es- pecial1y since the avowed object of such meeting. viz: the putting into effect of the wage award of the com mission, had already been compiled with
 ONE CONCLISION EVJDENT