The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-02-15
Citizens Take Hand In
Demanding End of the
Present Coal Strike
Two Statements Issued to People of State
Special Committee of Citizens Gives Review
of Entire Controversy and Urges Up
holding of Governors Efforts

zens appointed by a large
body of business men not in
terested in the coal trade yes
terday issued a formal state
ment reviewing the coal strike
in Alabama and the issues in
volved.
| The committee consists of Eugene L.
Brown, chairman; 1. F. Young, ]. d.
Kirkpatrick, Fl. G. Seibles, d. B. Dimick.
| W. p. Tynes and F. B. Fowlkcs
The statement of this committee
which is addressed to the people OF
Alabama. is as follows:
| In May 1920, the Alabama District
of the United Mine Workers of America
called strikes in certain domestic coal
| mines Of Alabama
THE union announced as the sole cause
of the strike the refusal of these opera
tors to, embody in their contracts with
their employees recognition Of the
union. There was no grievance submit
| ted or claimed as to wages or living
Conditions; it was generally known and
admitted that wages were high and liv-
| ing conditions good.
This contra& of union recognition. Of
ficially named by the union as blue
\ book contract, was signed by few of
! the operators. In less than six months
| the union repudiated all of these con-
! tracts.
| Coal operators of Alabama represent
| ing more than 80 per cent of the total
| a pa raf tn q hook
contract claiming that three-fourths Of
! the mine labor in Alabama did not de-
sire to be forced into membership in the
| miners union, stating that the history
| of this union in Alabama was one Of
disorder and crime, and refusing to rec
| ognize the union directly or indirectly.
This position of these operators has been
maintained without change and is their
position today. with the exception that
/ their forces have been augmented by
| these operators who last spring and
| summer signed the blue book contract
and later had this contract repudiated
| by the union.
! GENERAL STRIKE CALLED
The strike called in May in the do
nestle coal fields of Alabama not hav-
ling proven successful in forcing recogni-
ton Of the union Though thereby a
4 shortage in winter coal had been crc-
lated, the national offices of the miners
| union, located in Indianapolis, Ind, in
| stituted a general strike to take effec'
at midnight, September z, thereby deiio-
erately attempting on the eve of win
ter to shut down every coal mine in
| Alabama which had refused to submit
| to the domination and control of the
| United Mine Workers of America.
Upon the issue of this general strike
| order, Gov Thomas f. Kilby, realizing
that the people of Alabama without coal
ell -
| composed of DR. George H. Denny, pres
lident of the state university, Charles
| Henderson, former governor Of Alabams
and James Mayfield. a former justice
OF the supreme court of Alabama, and
now code commissioner, for the state Of
l Alabama.
..The operators publicly stated that ir
matters relating to wages, living con
ditions of their employees, or any com
plants of their employees Of any kind
they would abide by and comply witt
any award made by this commission
that they would not recognize directly OF
indirectly, the union. The union took
the position that recognition was the is.
sue.
1.-The commission reported to the gov
i ernor after full investigation that il
found no complaint as to wages or liv.
| ing conditions, and the only issue was
one of recognition. These facts inds.
putably prove that so long as this strike
was conducted by the officers Of thu
Alabama district and BY Alabamians
that the miners neither made nor pre-
scented any complaint Of any kind refer
ring to their wages or living conditions
FOLLOWING close upon the issue Of the
call for the genetal strike, Won A. Bit
ner, from Pennsylvania, former pres.
dent of the Pittsburg district of the
United Mine Workers Of America, was
A - 49, b~xk - ~Aft nal .4f
to take charge OF the Alabama strike
Accompanying him came band of north
ern negroes and northern whites. WIKI
! went from camp to camp throughout
the mining district, negro organizers
and white organizers, speaking from tht
same platform, arousng passions inflam
ing feelings, and for the first time
whom more than 70 per cent are negroes
the news that they we're underpaid and
Iill-treated. Won Bittner, in publis
address in Birmingham. among otheI
things said:
.s.Alabama for disgraceful condi-
lions, takes the cake-the steel cor
poration came to Alabama and stole
i its lands from the farmers The
Young Mems Christian association is
a profiteering tool of the corpora
tons. Alabama wages must be
doubled.
REVIEW OF CRIMES
what was the result Of this inva
sion of negro and white organizers o.
the United Mine Workers of Americl
brought to Alabama from non-residen
fields? We set out the indisputabl
facts and leave the answer to your com
Imon sense Contemporaneously with tn
looming into this district Of these agita
TORS, there began in the district . perios
Of disorder and Of law violation AZ l
partial bill Of though by NJ
means complete-we give the following
Ion September 5, Sam Lynn, non-unios
coal miner, shot and killed by j. r
Allison, q striking union miner. On Sep
TENDER - Tom Kroner. non-uni0r
miner, shot and killed by Jesse Benton
q striking union miner September II
houses of Eugene Morgan and Franl
Edwards, working non-union coal miners
Ford, ! non-union coal miner. shot from
lambush and seriously wounded. On Sep
tember Is, train carrying non-union min
tsrs from their place Of work. fired into
Scptember is, Leon H. Adler, genera
manager OF the Corona Coal company
\ ana 4. Edgiil, killed in battle with strik
ling miners September n, party of non
union miners on their way to work
4 tired on from ambush. Green Cook killed
Richard Montgomery shot Through III
aye ana hip. w. Fl. Alber. painfully
kby Allison Malone. non-union worlins
miner, dynAmited. September .. hous'
occupied by Allison Malone. workinl
jnon-union miner. dynamited. October
houses occupied by Lave Shorter AM
NJ. G. Gully. non-union working min
ers. dynamfted and demolished. Octobel
Is. house occupied BY Andrew Thompson