The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-01-16
LETTERS TO EDITOR
Replies to Walter Moore

To the Editor of the Age Herald.
 school trustees, boards of educa tion. managers of the public funds as- sessed for the benefit of the young children should weigh well the dan rerous threats of those who, would thus degenerate the public school sys- tenn of Alabama and place its affairs in the hands of the Federation or Labor This statement is the last paragraph in an article published in the Age-Herald Wednesday by waiter Moore, pioneer citizen of Birmingham MT. Moore in discussing the Fedora tion of Teachers discloses the Tact that he knows nothing about the Fed- eration of Teachers and very little about the profession which he attempts to criticize. He begin with, no threats of any kind have been made-there has never been a strike among fed erated teachers.
 The teachers of Atlanta were not members of the federation when they organized to go on a strike nor were the Memphis teachers members of the federation when they were forced to mediate strike and formed an or- ganization for that pupose and par tially accomplished their aim.
 Since that time they have become identified with the federation of Teachers. The members of the fed eration would like to ask MT. Moore why school trustees, boards of educa- tion, managers of public. funds: etc, should object to an organization hav- ing for it's one aim and purpose the establishment of a better school sys- tenn for these boys and girls of whom he speaks so feelingly? As to turning over the educational affairs of the state to the Federation of Labor, such move has never been contemplated nor even intimated except by the antis. The Federation of Teachers has the support and indorsement of the Feder- ation of Labor and as a body the teachers appreciate this support and indorsement, but the Federation of policies.
 Again MT. Moore says: 50 the teachers have drawn inspiration from the union forces and threaten to join the band of discontents, industrial dis turbers, general agitators and strike producers; in other words to unionize, establish the closed shop and make de- mands upon the purse strings of the over-burdened taxpayers of the state.'
 Far from this the teachers have drawn the inspiration to organize from a realization of the fact that the pro- fession if saved to the nation must be lifted out of poverty and placed on a self supporting. self-respecting basis. They are simply joining hands with each other in an effort to bring about condition that will make this possible. The dignity of the professionv has long since been lost behind a process sion of petty annoyances that have robbed the profession of the dignity that should belong to it. Will Mir Moore or some one else explain why it is that citizens who would scorn to accept charity from their cooks or washwomen will sit calmly by and ac- cept without even an expression of gratitude the services of trained men and women who are educating their children for them?
 MT. Moore states further: "The school teacher should be possessed of that dignity and independence which rejects apparent underpay by declining offers of employment with a smile.v For MT. Moore's benefit would like to state that according to statistics got ten out by the National Educational Association over 100000 of the best teachers in the United States have quietly smiled this dignified smile and gone into other and nore rerrunerative fields of labor within the last few months. Over 1000 of these have gone from Jefferson county. At this crisis in our national life such an exodus from the ranks Of trained teachers is a national disaster. The Federation of Teachers is the last stand of the "old guard to hold the profession to- gether and to secure legislation that will make it possible for men and women to teach and retain their self respect.
 MABEL LOUISE JONES, Jefferson County High School Teacher, Brighton. Ala
 January IS. 1920