The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-09-06

the suggestion of Governor ! Kilby of submitting the coal strike situation to a commis- sion of three disinterested cit
 izens, with the proviso, how
 ever, that the operators will not deal directly or indirectly
 with the United Mine Workers
 organization, or it's officers. Yesterday Governor Kilby appointed a commission consisting of Dr. Denny of , the University of Alabama; Judge J. J. : Mayfield, former supreme court justice, and ex-Governor Charles Henderson to investigate the underlying causes of the threatened coal strike and>to make rec concentrations as to a possible settlement. He also sent messages to President Ken manner of the local Mine Workers Union, asking him to defer calling the strike until the commission had met and made it's findings.
 The coal operators message to Cover nor Kilby follows:
 "The undersigned committee, repre- senting the commercial coal operators | of Alabama. after careful considera- I tion of the functions of the commission appointed by you at the Ssus Sestion of Victor H. Hanson, publisher Of the Bir- | mingham News. to consider and report its conclusions concerning tn estrike called by the United Mine Workers of America, beg to say:
 q. We recognize the interest of the public in the strike and the right of the public, through an impartial com mission, to be fully informed 70 We will gladly give a the com mission all possible aid in reaching an enlightened, fair and just conclusion,
 and will be glad to appear before the commis ssion at any time. "3. We agree in advance to abide by any recommendation or award that may be made by the commission touching wages, working conditions, hours of service, adjustment of complaints, faithful and strict compliance with the recommends tions of the bituminous coal commission appointed by the president, service of check weighman (already provided by law), installation of stand ard weight scales. and any other mat ters affecting the relations between employers and employes-with the ex- ception, however, hereinafter men toned.
 NOT DEAL WITH UNION We will not directly or indi- rectly recognize or deal with the 1 United Mine Workers of America now or hereafter. The bituminous coal commission appointed by the President did not include in it's rec | concentrations that we should rec I ognize this organization. The ab- solute right of the workers to or | <ganize or not as they may see fit, and the equal right of the employ CTS to maintain an open shop if they see fit, are so universally rec 1 ognized that we do not suppose the l commission would undertake any | recommendations to the contrary. Certainly there is nothing in your
 outline of the functions of the coin l mission that suggests that there are | questions to be reviewed by the com Omission, but the principle is so vital 1 that we are impelled in submitting to l the Jurisdiction of the commission to exclude the possibility of it's violation. And there are abundant reasons in addition which are peculiar to the 1 United Mine Workers of America. That organization has a history in Alabama 1 (a) of the willful destruction of life and property in every serious contro- versy, beginning with the strike of 1894; (b) of breaking contracts when | ever self-interest dictates such course; Co absolute domination of the | industry by closing every avenue of employment in the mining industry to every man who will not enslave him. | self to the masters of that organiza- 1 tion; (d) of associating the black man l on terms of perfect equality with the 1 white man.
 OLIGARCHY OF AGITATORS "The United Mine Workers of Americn is mastered by an oIi- | Earcky of agitators who consider no l interest hut their Owr--respcct no | authoritv hut their own.
 l "By their action now they uu- | dertake (a) to call statewide | strike in the early fall after hold ing down the output throughout 1 the summer. They would freeze | the people of Alabania just as they attempted to freeze the nation last winter.
 "(b) To prevent 75 per cent of the miners of Alabama who denv~their yoke the right to peaceahly pursue con tented employment.
 "fc) To settle all questions at issue | for all miners, otwithstanding that they constitute only one fourth. "Only a few weeks ago this organi- zaticn in paid advertisement. stated: eve invite your particular at- | tentiOn to the fact that through ! this proposed contract (referring l to the so-cnlled bIue-bo0l< contract) 1 Nsthe questions of "recOgnitiOn of the union." the "cIOsed shOr." the '<check-off'' or "district offfcers- are not mentioned. Let it be understood that we hold the opera tors should recognize the union of the miners just the same as the operators of every other coal pro- l ducing state do, hut we were will 7 ing to and did modify our propOsi- | tion for the sole reason and pur- 1 pose and no other, of cffecting an | amicable and peacenblc settlement | to the end that n strike would he 1 averfed.'
 ] '1n the statement to the public is- sued yesterday calling the strike they say:
 | "Nye nfe now. therefore. strik- ing to compel the cperators to meet l our representatives in joint con- l ferences and settle questions at is-
 sue between the miners md the | operator~.'
 l SPIDERIZE THE FLY
 Tt is their practice 10 gain a foot
 i hold by fair protesta tions-and so they protested few weeks ago, that the union question was not at issue It
 | Is also their practice to spiderize the | hot thav n