The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-20

operator to operate his property as he sees fit so long as he obeys the laws of the state. and we believe that the state should, at any cost protect such operator in the peaceful poss assion and operation of his property.
 'In personal conversation with in dividual miners, we found men who stated that they had at this time no desire to become members of the United Mine Workers of America. Sew eral of them so interviewed had for merly been members of the union. We believe that the state should, at any cost, protect these men in their right to work where, how and when they desire
 We have reached the conclusion. and so recommend to your excellency, that 1t would not be to the interest of the people of the state to recognize the United Mine Workers of America either directly through a decision. to fierce all operators to operate under a union contract or indirectly through such contracts as would set up the machinery by which there would be interference by outsiders in the ad- justment of the troubles of any in dividual mine.
 CONTRACTS VALID
 Those miners who have secured in d1Yidual contracts covering their serv- lc9s at wage rate guaranteed to them until April 1, 1922, should bo protected Those operators who de- sire to operate their mines exclusively with nonunion miners should he pro- tected from molestation.
 The United Mine Workers of Amer. lea called strike in order to force .he coal operators of Alabama to rec osnlze the union and to operate under union contract. This strike failed to accomplish it's purpose. We there lore, recommend to your excellency In the interest of peace and tranouillitv in m the coal mining section of the state lhat you declare the strike at an end ana call On the officials of the United Mlne Workers of America to so ad Vise their members and on the oner- ators to take back without disnlac- ing efficient men now employed those mlhers who struck as fast as economic conoltions will permit, with the ex- coptlon Of those who committed such overt acts as cannot be condoned
 UNIONISM"
 Atter careful reading of the briefs submitted by both sides we were con snceo that complete unionization Of all the coal mines of the state would increase the cost of production. If world lorce an alliance between the miners and the operators, giving them an absolute monopoly Of the coal industry, and this would be reflected in higher cost and in different service to coal consumers, which IS manlfestly unfair to the general pub TIC. Keen competition in service and prices should be maintained in the coal fields
 We disregarded all charges and
 counter-charges made by both
 We did not go into the question of the price of coal
 In view of the directly conflicting statements concerning the sub-contract system, we recommend that the oper- ators decide for themselves whether trey will or will not operate under the sut contracting system Provided.
 that if the operator elects to do so.
 he shall pay the miners working un-
 der the contractor the full wage scale awarded by the United States
 bituminous coal commission.
 MASS OF EVIDENCE
 We submit as addenda to this report the following exhibits:
 "(A) Brief submitted by the represen- tative of the coal operators
 "(B) Brief submitted by the repre- sentative of the United Mine Workers of America
 "(C) Stenographic report of oral argu- ment by representative of the United Mine Workers of America at the time of submission of written brief
 "(D) Supplemental brief submitted by representative of United Mine Workers of America, containing extracts from sun dry contracts. "ED Supplemental brief submitted by representatives of the coal operators.
 "(FO Stenographic report of hearing, given number of coal operators, rep resentatives of coal operators and busi- ness men of Birmingham.
 "(G) Communication, with inclosure, from MT. Victor H. Hanson, publisher of the Birmingham News, addressed to gov