The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-12-10
Military Commander Says Guard Is Only After Law
 breakers and Should Have
 Support of All Citizens. No Apologies For Action
SUNDAY GATHERING AT THE JEFFERSON THEATRE
Baldwin Says If Men Under
 Bond Are to Appear, the Dynamite and FIogging Vlc-
 tins Should Also Be Allowed to State Their Case Publicly


 Following announcement by ths stEiking shop crafts of Birmingham that, mass meeting would be held at tha Jefferson theatre Sunday aft ernoon, at 8 o'clock Maj. William L. Baldwin, 167th infantry, commanding officer of the forces now in service, yesterday struck back vigorously in defense oftthe arrests made by the militiamen.
 The mass meeting will hear a number of speakers, among them be- ing John W. Altman, State Senator elect Walter Brewer and Dr. A. J. Dickinson.
 "The national guard is not ashamed of it's record" says the statement of Major Baldwin, land we believe we are carrying out our or ders, and we know that we have broken up to great extent, the law lessness that was in full swing some 60 days ago"
 The guardsmen win not have spokesman at Sundays meeting, as had been requested. Announcement was made that arrangements had al- ready been completed for the pro- gram of speakers and that it could not be changed. No formal reply was made to the communication of civic organizations delivered Friday night requesting that speaker be heard in behalf of the guard, but 1t was informally stated that the pre- gram could not be modified. About Sunday Meeting
 Regarding Sunday afternoons meeting. Major Baldwin says: Be cause men have been arrested for flogging, dynamitingi burglary and criminal violations of the federal in junction. the bhopcrafts or their leaders feel called upon to express their indignation publicly toward the- soldiers.
 "As far as seizures and searches are concerned he says. "the best an swer we can make to that is that our searches resulted in capturing enough dynamite, fuse and caps to blow up q large portion of our city. We have made no arrests pro- miscuously. We have made some 12 arrests and eight men are now under bond and some of them under as many as three bonds, Further. all of the men now under bond were members of some of the various shopcrafts."
 The Other side
 "If it is wrong to arrest man for crime at night" asks the state ment what in heavens name is it to blow up women and children at night? Why no outcry from the shopcrafts or their brilliant leaders then? Their eleventh hour appeal to the public will not fool anyone. They say they will have the peo- pie at The meeting who have beeus arrested. Why not have those thers+ i that have been whipped, dynainited. intimidated and those who have been turned out and frightened out of a neghborhood where they have re- sided for years2" !
 Maj jor Baldwin's statement begins by reference to the call for the mass meeting on shop crafts stationery containing the name of Geoi.-e D. Winter as secretary and treasurer. who" the statement says. lis now in jail under the charge of murder.
 When the national guard was called into service the latter part of July" he continues. "whippings, dynamitlngs and other crimes were a daily occurrence. The troops were ordered into service on an order of the governor at the urgent request of the sheriff of Jefferson county. and after the troops were plac. on dury theeeommand authority felt that perhaps the presence of the troops in the district would have quiet- ing effect and that the whippings dynamltin9s and various crimes and acts of intimidation would ceas se- but such was not the case They continued right along with little or no Interruption, and apparently the only way that the military could have prevented the crimes mentioned above would have been to have or dered enough troops into the field to have actually patrolled the entire strike area which would have re- uuired a regiment at the very least: and 1t would certainly have been shame 10 have placed the state to | this great expense.
 At no time since Iuly have ws l had as many soldiers as a full bat l talion on duty. and frequently our strength has been. as 1t IS al present, | considerably under full strength | company
 investigations Started When 1t became evident that pa trolling with the limited number of troops We had and the presence of l the troops in the district would not have any effect, it was then and only then that We organized an in tclligence section, and started in- Nestisations which later resulted ia rursruns arrests.
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