The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-01-16
GOVERNOR FLATLY
 REJECTS PLEA OF
 PUBLICATION
Would Gladly Relieve Situation. But Can Do Nothing Because Coal Operators and Strik-
 CTS Can't Get Together
By FRED II. GORMLEY Montgomery, Bureau. The Age-Herald 221-2 First National Bank Building

Montgomery, Bureau. The Age Herald
 22i-2 First National Bank Building Montgomery, January -15.--, Under no circumstances will state troops or members of the law enforcement department be withdrawn from the mining district of Alabama, where United Mine Workers of America are on strike, until that strike is settled, was the emphatic answer given by Governor Kilby to delegation of union labor officials here this afternoon.
 1 Charges intimidation of officials of the United Mine Workers of America and striking miners, and suggestions that the national guardsmen be withdrlvn from the coal district and the union ba made responsible for the maintenance of order in Jefferson and surrounding counties were made to Governor jxilby by Louis Bowen, secretary tre ls- urer of the Alabama Federation of La- 1 bor and representatives of building trades of Birmingham. Governor Kitby 1 promised that complete investgaton will be made of all allegations of intimi- dalton, but reiterated his previous decla@ ration that soldiers will remain in lna Birmingham district until there is na longer any disturbance which might lead to the loss of life or property.
 | Mir ta ayaa .4s ha ,ff al sentative of the Federation of Lapcf, and not as the representative cf 1ha il miners organization With him wefa Robert R Moore. representative of tns Building Trades Council of Birmingham; R. C. Gladden., representative of the raii- way crafts, and J. L. Busby, president of the Birmingham Trades Council.
 AFFIDAVITS PRODUCED l MT. Bowen, as spokesman, rected vsa- rious instances of alleged intimidation and presented affdavits in support of his declaration that representatives of C. w. Austin. chief law enforcemenr agent, were shadowing officials of the miners organization at all times, and that members of the national guard wers intimidating the strikers while the lattcr were attempting to assemble peaceablX on peaceful missions Governor Kiiby Uniformed the committee that many of the instances cited had been investigated and IaCLS were uSstIDptu WHICH Weit dt NA- riance with the declarations of the cons mittee. However. he promised that the new allegations made in the affidavits would be investigated at once. Mr. Bowen gave the governor the original affidavitss During the conference, which was ats <ended by newspaper representatives, Mr- | Bowen made the declaration seve.aA times that the situation in the strike dis- 2 trict is tensa that union officials ars bearing all they can, and that serious consequences may result from the Iati* ure of the governor to relieve the situa ton.
 II Governor kilby answered each
 time that he would be glad to do
 something to relieve the situation,
 but that as long as the coal oper- N utors refused to recognize the
 upion and the strikers refused to
 work until they have been rec- n ognized. the state could do noth-
 tnr but use all means mt its com
 mand to preserve order in the
 strike scene.
 .d COURTS SUGGESTIONS
 q wish there were some method te end this strike" said Governor kiloy< Tt is not my desire to have it continued- If you members of the Alabama FedeIa~ ton of Labor, any other persons, nave any suggestions to make as to how tlie strike can be ended l shall be glad eo receive them.'
 MT. Bowen suggested that the
 operators he invited to send rep
 resentatives to n conference which : would he attended by represent-
 atives of the United Mine Work
 CTS. Governor Kilby answered that
 thi. invitation had been made at one time. that the operators de-
 clined to appear at my meetings
 attended by union coal miners or <{ md further action could be taken ky
 the state.
 Various instances of alleged intin,- idation were given by MT. Bowen and other members of the committee. It was charged that William l.. Har- rison and other representatives of the mine workers cannot go out of their 1 offices without being shadowed by 1 agents of the state law enforcement department; il was charged that aS one time the agents of the department walked beside the union officials and nudged them in the sides It was alesea | that Mir Harrison was followed Into a restaurant that the deputes 'ooA 1 seats at the same table. did not order food but waited until MT. Harrison hai finished and that when MT. Harrison | arose from the table, one of the depu- h ties said Forward, march.
 BOY KNOCKED DOWN N An affidavit of Emmst Morton. l4 years old. charged that soldiers knocked him down when they came into his fathers store at Pratt Citys II. D. Morton, the boys father. recited | the same alleged incident and said hie customers were being forced from his ] store by soldiers.
 Another affidavit. signed by . merchants and others of Pnlos. nl-3 legged that miners meeting was broken ap by a machine gun which had been placed on the xtage. : Governor Kilby said this incident had been investigated and that the machine gun was placed after the meeting had been prohibited hy
 tContinued oa Pars Three.I