The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-26
LETTERS TO EDITOR
SUNDAY MEETING AT BEsSEMER
the Editor of The Age-Herald:

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 A statement appeared in your issue of today, October 25, to the effect that when William L. Harrison, legislator from this county, was of fering amendments to the so-called boycott" and 'black list" bill, that MT. Lee Long asked him {Harrison) if he were present last Sunday in Bessemer at ''labor meeting" when of the speakers advocated driving the legislators out of the capitol Of course, the direct infer ence is that at labor meeting last Sunday in Bessemer at which Harrison was present, speaker so advised
 was present at that meeting and made the remark which some tale-bearer distorted and reported to MT. Lee Long. And for that req son l am in position to correct the impress sion made by MT Long and by the statement appearing in your paper.
 The facts are these: The Bessemer Com munity club,' which was recently organized in Bessemer at public meeting at the courthouse, invited MT. Harrison and myself to a public meeting to be held at the city park in Besse- on last Sunday afternoon; the idea being that Mir. Harrison particularly would explain to this community club, which is not simply union or organized labor body, something of the Legislation now pending in our legislature, and I take it that was to speak on any sub jeet I might choose, but particularly it was de- sired that l speak from the legal and lawyers viewpoint on the bill against unincorporated associations of persons which was introduced by MT. George Ross of Bessemer, and the other so-caed boycott and "black list' bill which was introduced by whose name do not recall.
 l made close study of these two measures, which were evidently companion measures and intended such, and I was so impressed with the almost unlimited opportunity for evil to arise from the enforcement of these measures that I made a minute inspection of each to the possible underlying reasons for the intro duction of such bills, what they meant, who they aimed at, what good if any could be expected from same, and what the ultimate suit of the passage of them would be.
 In referring to the boycott and black list ing" bill, which is nseparable from the other bill for all practical purposes after I had pointed out the provisions showing it to be anti-strike measure, and that it provided for suppression of freedom of speech, etc., etc., stated that if the citizenship of Alabama, and was not talking to union labor audience or referring to labor people, but if the citizenship of Alabama should come to sudden realization of the meaning of these two measures, that the membership of the legislature favoring them and especially those who were responsible for them would not remain in our legislative halls longer than needed for the good and sub stantial people of Alabama to drive them out.
 Which reminds me that should make this statement after the bills become law, will be subject to prosecution conviction and imprison- ment.
 will not discuss the bills further in this article, but will thank you to publish this let ter in order that the membership of the legs- lature and the people of Alabama, and of Jeff ferson county particularly, may not believe that at labor meeting in Bessemer, as intimated or stated by MT. Long, it was advocated that the legislators be driven from the capitol. Yours very truly, JOHN w. ALTMAN. Birmingham, October 25, 1921.