The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-02-15

ing committee shall be to do every
thing in their power to prevent men
from going to work in the mines, and
also to have. those. who are now
working to join the strike. There is
no doubt that these committeeman
can render wonderful service along
these lines. The great trouble that
has confronted us in conducting the
strike has been that just a few men
in each local union have been active
in behalf of the organization, some
men deciding that all the duties re-
qured of them we're to strike and
draw the relief that is furnished by
the international organization. We
not only urge but instruct every
member of the local union to become
more active in assisting us in the
conduct OF the. strike.
The statutes OF Alabama (Sections
1894, $685., 1897 and $3.50 of the Code of
1900 prohibits picketing and interference
with those lawfully at work; and these
resolutions were directly in the teeth of
these statutes and in open defiance Of
the laws OF Alabama.
Following the PRONUNCIATION of these
resolutions and the attempt to carry
them into effect, the disorder and law
violation which had gradually dimin-
ished Immediately and rapidly increased.
GEN. STEINER'S AFFIDAVIT
commanding Gen. Steiner in sworn
affidavit filed in court proceedings in
reference to this matter, says:
THAT said military forces were sen.
by the governor Of Alabama to the
Birmingham district for the purpose
of preserving law and order, and for
that purpose alone. That following
the sending of said troops into such
district and the location of different
units in different parts thereof, the
disorder which had previously been
reported to have existed and which
was found to exist upon the coming
of such troops, was reduced until
there was prevalent in said district
very little actual violations of the
law or actual disorders. This con-
dtion continued until about the 10th
day of December 1920, at which time
it was reported in the newspapers
and also came to the attention of
affiant through military channels
that an executive meeting had been
held by the United Mine Workers of
America in the Birmingham district,
at which meeting resolutions were
adopted, the resolutions adopted
being in substance as set out and
published in the daily newspapers. >.
Affiant further deposes and says that
following the passage the publica-
ton and PRONUNCIATION of said res
ol,itions it became known to affiant
through military channels and other
wise that in accordance with said
resolutions picketing committees had
been named and picketing COM
menced in parts of the mining district
in which the strike was existing, and
that renewal of disorders and vio-
lations of law and a marked in
crease i'll the tension that existed be-
tween the union miners who were on
a strike and the miners who were at
work. was noticed.
GOV. KILBY'S STATEMENT
'',he renewal of these acts of law
isssness, consisting Of shootings, kill
ngs, dvnamiting of houses, eliminated
IN the killing on December % of North
cult, union miner and said to be q
member of one Of the picketing commit
tees, by Private James Morris, Company
M, Alabama national guard; the assas-
sination, in turn, from ambush OF Prl-
vate Morris. and the unfortunate lynch
ing of Baird confined in Jail on the
charge of numbering Morris. The gov
ernor of Alabama, with the same
promptness and determination that hs
had shown throughout this intolerablt
situation. placed behind the prosecution,
OF the soldiers charged with the murder
of Baird the entire machinery of the
state and employed special prosecutor.
for the purpose Of ascertaining thu
guilty parties and bringing these par
ties to justice. On February 3, 1870. tbs
governor of the state gave to the public
through the press a statement whic!
clearly, fairly and accurately sets forth
the strike situation in the coal mining
district. Among other things he says:
Elm my opinion, the strike Is prac-
tically at an end and would be alb
solutely at an end if the labor lead
ers would but recognize the fact and
declare it officially. Such being the
case the question naturally arises,
Why should the state troops be kept
in the mining district at an expense
to the taxpayers of the state Of Sow
eral thousand dollars per day?' 1t
is mainly for the purpose of answer
ing that question that am making
this statement. The answer Isl The
miners who are unemployed have
received Instructions from the union
leaders to organize committees at and
from each union local to act as
picket forces at the mines and to do
everything in their power to get
those at work to quit and keep those
out from going back to work. Pick
citing is prohibited by the laws of