The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-04-25
Will the Governor Be Bulldozed?

VIII the Governor Be Bulld0Zed?
 To the Editor of The Age-Heralds Since when has the governor of Ala bama become morally, legally or other wise responsible for this awful condi- ton of men who have persistcntly re-
 fused to work for the past eight months or longer. although their living conditions, daily wages and general surroundings were the best that ever equal to those of any section of the United States?
 l might say men who would stand idly by and see their families suffer the bangs of hunger and poverty, and threaten to freeze the entire public be- fore they would work by the side of 8 real American, red blooded man be- cause he did not have a card and pay into the union bulk of his earnings-in order that paid agitators. organizers, and others might live in ease and lux ury. Van Bittner sojourned many months at the Tutwiler hotel, greatly enjoying the comfortably heated apartments. made so by the burning of coal mined by nonunion miners whd had to be guarded both on and off of duty-not only by privately paid dep uties, but also state militia. From the elst of the daily papers for several months, even the state troops and many other law abiding citizens were daily and hourly in danger of their lives and property.
 Now MT. Editor, has Governor Kilby the right from any standpoint to use the states money to provide food and ralment for men who refused to work, although work was plentiful, wages good, living conditions the best? These men refused to work by the side of men who hold their obligations to their God and their families more sacred than their oath to the United Mine Workers of America, who would, as in this case, desert them and withdraw their SUD- Port and food in their greatest hour of need, and alone are responsible for these conditions now complained of and so unreasonably blamed on the governor of the state, who would not. If he could, unduly exert any unfair in- liuence over the matter. His just and impartial settlement of the strike, which is so bitterly complained of by the miners, proved that he is not only the real governor of Alabama, but a better friend to the miners than even the men who would and did advise them in their mad race for recognition.
 No, Governor Kilby will not be in- timidated by this propaganda. How ever, have never known of a request, yes, say, a request, of real, deserving charity that has not received the inn mediate attention of Governor Kilby, and if the state owes any set of men any obligation it certainly is the men who so periodically stayed on the job, dug coal for the benefit of the entire public and ran the risk of losing their lives and families and property.
 There are hundreds of men in this district today out of work who have not been on strike, but who have done their best to secure work of any kind, whether a union card is demanded or not, but owing to the scarcity of work in every line. these men are not able to secure work with which to provide their families with the real necessities of life. Still, these men have not charged the governor of the state with these conditions and demanded of him relief which he is unable to give; neither has there come from these honest, unorganized toilers a voice suggesting or threatening civil war, nor the life or property of the gover- nor. Neither have they in any way in