The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-03
B0NR0N CHARGES MINE UNION WAGES FIGHT 0N CONNECTS
Tells KiWanians Many Good People Being MisIed By
 MiSStatementS
ENSLEY BUREAU 1 THE AGF-HERALD } Enalax Alb Ann Q

Ihat the United Mine Workers of America, from their offices in In the convict lease system fight in Alabama was :he declaration of James Bowron, chairman of the board of the Gulf States Steel com pany and a director of the Bessemer Coal, Iron and Land company. before the Kiwanis club of Ensley Thurs day.
 In speech during which the ven- erable industrial leader almost flashed fire, he said that the min istersS good women and others were being misled by various untruths. false facts and transformation. MT. Bowron advocated the state itself working the convicts, bringing coal to the surface and there selling it to the public after the state had supplied all Of state institutions, courts, jails and hospitals. provided any coal was left to be disposed of through sales agencies.
 MT. Bowron opened his address by asserting that once he held title as trustee for the entire city of Ensley and that he was unable to borrow s21,o00 on 2,000 acres Cf land. ex cept the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company indorse the paper, the latter being the assurance of ob- tafning the loan. He then said it was strange for him to be compelled to inquire where to turn in order to reach gathering such as faced him. He said that he would not be re- mancing if he consumed two or three hours on the history of Ensley.
 Watched System 40 Years.
 He then said that for 40 years he had watched the convict lease sys- tenn and gave a brief history of his connection with the Tennessee com pany when it operated in the state of Tennessee. He said that he had fC ught against his companies leas- ing convicts and that personally he opposed the lease system. Mr.. Bow ron added that he had opposed com panies with which he was associated leasing convicts years and years ago and did so recently in one of the cC companies, in which he is a director. MT. Bowron said. he knew as much about the subject IS any man living in Alabama, because he was an old man. being so on his next birthday, and because he had engaged in com panies having to do with convicts more or less.
 Many writers, good women, min isters and others" declared MT. Bowron have apparently lost their senses on this subject. Their work | tation and they are being misled. Why was it that John l.. Lewis of the United Mine Work CTS spent $3, 0O0,000 in Alabama. necessitating the calling out of state troops cost ing the state, $500,000 which the coal operators paid back to the state in tonnage tax to make up the expense? It was to make this a closed district and I tell you that the same agency is directing this fight against convicts in the mines knowing that so long as coal is mined here by convicts the mine workers union will never close this district''
 Paints Strike Picture.
 MT. Bowron then painted a picture of the desolation that followed
 strikes in this field. saying that everyone knew the dynamiting cases, the shot tings, the general depreda- tions which take place when disor- ders occur MT. Bowron said that the state collected the same equiva- lent of money for convict labor that was paid free labor He asserted that the unmerciful treatment was a myth and that conVicts often earned money over and above their tasks and related two instances of such
 circLmStanees. He said that the men were given certain tasks di- rected by state physicians, and that no flogging could take place in Alabama IS the state laws prohibited such treatment. He also said that suits would inevitably follow such treatment were such a fact. He paid his respect to a Mobile minister, who charged Tuesday that many men had been flogged to death in this state. MT. Bowron also said that so far as the Belle Ellen mines were concerned he would, as a director, vote to talk the convicts out tomorrow if the state wanted to do that. However. he advocated the state mining the coal, eliminating leases, and offering the coal for sale to the competitive agencies.
 Opposes Use On EOads.
 Mr. Bowron opposed the use of convicts on the roads, saying it was impractical to guard them, that sani- tary facilities sand bathing facilities he gave a graphic and alluring pie ture of the quarters provided con- victs in the various mines He as- serted that convict labor was net cheap labor; on the contrary, was as costly as free workmen, and said this state would rue the day when it placed convicts on the road in- stead of keeping them in the mines. He sa.l mining was not hazardous occupation; that the places were carefully protected from sickness and ether depredations of nature anc that compared to conditions on the roads ere admirable.
 The address of MT. Bowron before l