The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-02-11

to Mexico so it was impossible to co operate with him, at that time.
 HAD CONFERENCES
 q had several conferences with the leading coal operators and representa- tives of the miners organization and soon discovered there was little pros pect for settlement. However, l was encouraged to believe that if the ques tion of union recognition could be eliminated there might be some possi- bility of bringing the strike to an end. With this end in view, several of the leading coal operators of Alabama sought to get the operators to agree to an arrangement which virtually es- tablished so-called open shop condi- tions, accorded the miners the right to organize or join the miners union if they so desired and provided machinery for the settlement of disputes between the operators and their employees at their respective mines In the tnean/ time, I had succeeded in getting the mine workers officials to agree to such an arrangement, if the. opera tors would so do. /A
 "The matter was finally brought be- fore meeting of the operators asso- citation, and rejected, largely through the efforts of the operators commit tee, consisting of James Bonnyman, chairman; Charles r DeBardeleben Frank Nelson, Jr., Frank G. Morris and George F. Peters.
 This committee took the position and made the same statements to me then that the governor now makes in his announcement.
 The facts are that this small group of men have created conditions in thei- respective mines that are satisfactory to themselves and enable them 10 op- crate their mines advantageously and sell coal at a big profit, while other mines were either idle or operating at great expense with inexperienced la- bor They are dominating the situa- tion and determined to prevent any kind of settlement. Not only that. they have expressed their determina- tion to fight to the bitter end and keep up the fight until the mine work CTS organization is driven out or Ala bama
 These are the men who are respon- sible for the situation and the men who have prevented and are preventing settlement of the Alabama coal strike.
 T believe at least 75 per cent of the coal operators of Alabama have been ready and willing to end the strike on the basis above suggested but the fighting coal operators committee prevents them from doing so.
 INCONSISTENCY
 If any proof were needed to show the inconsistency of the operators committee it will be found in their let ter to Governor Kilby, under date of September $, wherein they say: The absolute right of the workers to or ganize or not as they see fit, and the equal right of the employers to main tain an open shop if they see fit, are so universally recognized that we do not suppose the commission would un- dertake any mmenda tions to the contrary. This is just what was pro- posed and exactly what they prevented from being carried out under the arr rangement submitted
 Failing to make any further prog ress, I returned to Washington and made thorough report on the sit uation.
 "A few weeks later I was directed to return to Alabama and. make an other effort to help bring the strike to an end.
 On January r l called on the governor. by appointment, with view of enlist ing his cooperation and support in help ing to bring the strike to an end
 T very frankly told the governor the real situation as I had learned to under stand it from eevry angle and my per- .sonal observations and visits to numer- was useless to try to get anywhere or do any thing with the fighting operators com mittee. but had reasons to believe that if he would take the matter up with in- dividual operators. that fully 75 per cent would agree to the plan submitted last November.
 After some days the governor replied that he had received the answer of the committee of coal operators to the pro- posal submitted January 24. It was flat refusal
 TO BITTER END
 "The facts are that the operators com mittees defiantiy announce their determi- nation to wage fight to the bitter end and until the last vestige of unionsm is driven from the coal fields of Alabama This campaign of attempted extermina- tion of the miners union is as absurd as it is diotic, because contractual rcla- tions now exist between the miners or ganization and a number of Alabama operators
 TO further emphasize their inconsis- tency and disclose the autocratic and ar bitrary polices inaugurated by them, 1t may be we'll to mention that they are un- willing that so-called labor agitators and foreigners come here to counsel and