The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-05-21
ALLEN MAINTAINS
 HE IS CORRECT IN
 HIS INFERENCES
Comments on Commission Statement Made on Final Day of the
 Campaign

In accordance with it's regular poi icy The Age-Herald upon the final day of campaign permits neither side in a controversy to make state ment without giving the other side opportunity to reply in the same issue. No controversial political mat ters can be published on election day.
 Accordingly the city commission's statement in reply to c. M. Alien was shown to Mr. Allen last night for comment. Mir. Alien mentioned the name of Ben M Jacobs and MT. Jacobs was accordingly notified. He said the boards attitude on the sub feet was well known; that he had no authority to commit the board to any line of action and would not do so If he could and that the boards tnvarfa- ble rule was to let all contracts to the lowest bidder without reference to union or non-unfon.
 Mir. Aliens letter reads:
 To the Editor of The Herald:
 Answering the statement of Mir. D. F. McLendon in Sundays issue of The Age-Herald. and signed by the five members of the city commission, in which they advise the public not to be misled by the statements of C. M. Allen in regard to the dicnargtnG of all non-union men on the high school and replacing them with union men.
 Mir. McLendon states that thers was never any thought and no discussion regarding unionism. and that only the eight-hour day law was men toned
 Now. Mfr. Editor. what did say was that 1t was reported in the daily papers that a meeting had been held and that positive assurance had been given the trades council by the city com mission that any work let by the city would be put upon the eight hour basis, and that similar assur- ance had been given by the board Of education, and consequently such an agreement or assurance, meant that all of the city work would be union ized, from the fact that in a very few hours from the time that assurance was given the trades council. all non-union men on the Phillips High school were called in and given their choice of joining the union and car- rying a card. or quitting the job.
 Now, NIT. Editor. get my informa- tion from the mouth piece of organ xed labor. the Southern Labor Re- view, which says, among other thinEs on the front page I've understand that hurried meeting of this body (meaning the trades counci) was asked for by the city commission and the board of education for the pur- pose of regulating or enforcing the eight-hour day law on the new high school building, which Is being built by non-union labor working nine and 10 hours a day. This committee re- ported that the commission has pledged itself to see that the eight hour day was enforced. and all con- tracts would be let to union work men,
 Now, Mir. Voter, you have the state ments of both the city commission and the trades council. Which will you believe? As for myself. l have had more or less differences for years with the trades council. and I can say, without fear of contradic- tion. that they have always been truthful
 I will also say that. in this par ticular case, somebody has deliberate ly falsified. and nobody has been talking but the city commission and the trades council: and although tho city commission makes this denial. I am firm in my belief that they were aware of the fact that Ben Nj. Jacobs. member of the board of education. proposed to the contractor on the high school that there had been much complaint from the union men. and that In order to bring about har- mony, secure tho union vote, and stand chance of getting more school work, he let off all of his non-union men and employ only union mon.
 Mir. Ben NJ. Jacobs will not deny -xnx much more, if I saw fit to publish It.
 These two boards are almost one and the same, and 1t Is a we'll known fact that. regarding school work. whatever action is taken Is with the knowledge and consent of both. Con- sequentiy. the public. having before them the statement of the trades