The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-05
STRIKE COMMITTEE HAS COMPLETED
 ITS INVESTIGATION
Again Visit Union, Non-union and Open Shop Mines-Van
 Bittner Speaks Regarding < Mems Attitude

William T. Sheehan, Richard M. Hobbie and John W. Durr, of Mont gomery, the governors strike investi- gating committee, will return to their homes this morning at g o'clock, their work in this district completed.
 The committee will go over the mass of data submitted ly both sides and render report to the gc- srnor. Recom- mendations will probably be made. The governor has made it plain that. while he will carefully consider and seri- ously weigh what recommendations the committee makes, if any, he will not be bound by them, if his own judg- ment runs to the con ary. His de- cision, which is to end the strike, is to be personal one. Both sides are pledged in writing to abide by it.
 Yesterday afternoon number of the citizens committee appeared before the investigators and gave their version of the strike Among those appearing were Frank Crockard, Henry L. Badham, M. H. Fies, MT. Rogers. L. sevier, J. D. Kirkpatrick. Robert Jemison, Jr., and others. This concluded the investigation of the committee at this time.
 SUPPLEMENTAL STATEMENT
 The committee heard Van Bittner, international representative of the miners, in supplemental statement yesterday morning. They also gave audience to William Fairley, long time leader of the Alabama miners and subsequently, a federal concilliator- Louis Bowen, representing local union organizations, was also accorded audi ence.
 Murray Brown appeared before the committee for short time in the fore noon and in the afternoon about dozen coal operators, whose mines are non-union or open shop, were present in body and the operators side of the case again presented.
 Van Bittner, speaking of the morn ing talk with the committee, said he ref erated what he laid down in his written statement. The miners want this:
 WHAT THEY WANT
 1. Recognition.
 2. Abolition of the sub contract sys- tenn.
 B. Tennessee day wage scale.
 4. Unemployment.
 While the mine leaders indicate that they do not expect recommendations for recognition of the union, they seem to pin their hopes on the es- of some sort of a tribunal where grievances may be heard, this tribunal to be of a permanent nature.
 Speaking of the evidence of com plaints as to wages and living con ditions at the three kinds of mining camps non-union, open shop and union, MT. Bittner remarked casually:
 Of course, the committee heard no as to wages or wing con diuons. In the ncn-union mines and the so-called open shop mines, the miners are afraid to speak out lest they lose their jobs, while in the union mines such things as wages and livlng conditions are entrusted to the union to handle. It is very simple"
 ABOUT THEIR WORK
 The committee have been here sincz Monday morning. They got to work immediately and received written statements from Van Bittner repre- senting the miners and from the op- orators They later visited personally three kinds of mines, non union, open shop and union. They have seen the three kinds in operation and they have seen the housing, the commissaries. the surroundings and gone over com pany books. They have talked with the three sets of miners colJectivatx, and Individually, They have data bear Ing on every aspect of the controversy.
 The committee has not limited what their accommodations will be. Gen eral expectation is that they will re- port to the governor early next week and that very soon afterwards the governor will announce his award