Hellraisers Journal: Blacklisted Alabama Coal Miners and Their Families Are Without Food, Continue to Live in Tents

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Quote EVD, Starve Quietly, Phl GS Speech IA, Mar 19, 1910—————

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday May 29, 1921
Alabama Coal Miners Continue to Live in Tents, Are Without Food

From the Duluth Labor World of May 28, 1921:

RUN ‘AGITATORS’ OUT OF ALABAMA!
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Governor of State Joins With Mine Owners in
Attempt to Crush Miners’ Union.
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Alabama Miners n Families in Tents bottom, UMWJ p9, Mar 15, 1921
-from the United Mine Workers Journal of March 15, 1921

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., May 26.—It is estimated that 40,000 men, women and children in the coal district of Alabama are without food. They are housed in tents furnished by the United Mine Workers of America. To relieve this situation, trade unionists are contributing funds and the [Minnesota] state federation of labor has forwarded $500. The coal owners deny that starvation exists, while they force miners to make oath that they are not, and never will be, members of the United Mine Workers.

A statewide blacklist is being conducted against the union miners with the approval of Governor Kilby. The state executive acted as arbitrator in the recent mine strike, and supported the coal owners in every point.

Governor Kilby also ruled that the coal owners are under no obligation to re-employ these miners. The governor has been called upon to relieve the distress that his decision cre­ated, but refuses to act, and has pub­licly declared that he “sympathized with the miners.” This statement has brought a withering reply from Van R. Bittner, representative of the United Mine Workers, who tells the official that “such hypocrisy makes men wonder.” The trade unionist refers to a public statement by the governor when the strike was on, wherein the people of Alabama were called upon to “run the agitators out of our state.”

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[Detail from above photograph.]

Alabama Miners n Families in Tents bottom crpd, UMWJ p9, Mar 15, 1921

[Photographs and emphasis added.]

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