The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-23
UNION ENTERS LEASE FIGHT;
 ASKS PRO BE:
State Wide Committee WeI-
 comes Action Of The Mine Workers, Though DiscIaim-
 ing AffiIiation With Move SEE VICTORY IN PLANS REPORTED CONSIDERED Activities Of Federal Coal
 Commission During March Visit To District Recalled In Many Mining Circles

Heartened by developments Sunday in the fight to abolish convict leas- ing in Alabama formal request of the federal coal commission by the United Mine Workers of America that a searching investigation be made into the convict mines of the state and information from The Age Herald's state capital bureau al Montgomery that Governor Brandon was seeking a way out of the com vict leasing problem. members of the statewide committee to abolish the system are prepared to hear Dr. E. Stagg Whiten, prison reform eX pert, at their regular meeting at & o'clock Monday night in the Hillman hotel.
 Says Committee Pleased.
 Irwin M. Engel vice chairman of the state wide committee. speaking in the absence of Chairman w. E. Fort, said the request for an investigation pleased the committee. when told of information contained in a dispatch from The -Herald's Washington bureau. He made 1t plain that the statewide committee. however, was not affiliated with the union miners in the movement for federal inves- tigation.
 We welcome any circumstance and any move which will aid in obtain ing a full presentation of the situa- tion." MT. Engel declared.
 As for the report from Mont gomery tha Governor Brandon was considering means of dispensing with the Lresent system of leasing convicts, through probable state leas- ing of mine and working it under state supervision, MT. Engel said that was one of the goals toward which the committee has been striving.
 He volunteered the information that the committee had received a letter from W. S. Keller. state high way engineer, declaring 1t feasible and possible for the convicts to be worked by the state highway depart ment, cooperating with the convict department.
 In union mining circles, announce ment that the United Mine Workers had asked Investigation of the con- ditions under which convict labor works in the mines was not surpris- ing. Officials of the organization have submitted to the federal coal commission brief setting forth con ditions in the Alabama district in which the. convict situation is said to be dealt with fully. This came out of the commissions visit here in March. This information will probably be made public when the commission reports it's findings on the bituminous coal situation, in Sep tember.
 Commission Visit Here.
 When members of the commission John Hays Hammond chairman; Clark Howell, Sr., of Atlanta, and former Vice President Thomas R. Marshall, visited Birmingham in March, they inspected mines In which convict labor is employed and they probably have a fairly good h. sight into conditions, it is thought.
 Officials of District No. 20. United Mine Workers, spent two hours with the commission members on the aft ernoon of March II and laid their case before the federal body. It is stated that little was said of the convict system in particular, the general situation being presented. However, the convict system has heen opposed for years by the union. because of the restrictions neces- sarily entailed upon free labor. The commission requested the union or ficials to present their case in writ ing, which has been done.
 l.. B. Baird, international represen- tative of the United Mine Workers in charge of work In Alabama since the autonomy of District No. 20 was revoked two weeks ago, reached at his home in Jasper by The Age Herald, said he understood the or Ganization was planning the acton reported in Washington dispatches. He said there was nothing he could add by way of comment on the situ- ation, although he thought an inVes- tigation and recommendations by the federal commission would be or great value