Denver labor bulletin., 1918-03-16

This was not done, but to blindfold
the miners the paper was stopped and
Frank ]. Hayes gave O'Neill COM
mission as national organizer. Just
think, O'Neill, who has never done a
days work in or around coal mine
or anywhere else much, a national or
ganizer of the U. NJ w. of A. Were
it not disgrace to the organization
and the labor movement it would be
joke. A great deal could be said
about O'Neill, but it would be a waste
of time on poor material.
Sent Here to Fight Lawson
When Moran and his gang took
charge of District No. Is, instead of
building up the district organization,
which the miners had gotten well
started, they started fight on John
Lawson, formerly national board men,
Der of District No. Is, and when the
State Federation of Labor held an
election, John Lawson was a candi-
date for president and Moran and his
gang of national loafers started cam
paign to beat Lawson by sending in
nearly 1000 votes that were not cast.
National organizers sent in sheets
showing that some local unions had
cast as many as $50 votes when they
had cost no votes at all, and some of
the local unions had no membership
at all. The facts are well established
that the steal was premeditated be-
cause the organizers had paid per cap
ita tax to the State Federation of La
Dor for local unions that did not ex-
ist, in order to send in a large num-
Der of votes to beat Lawson.
Then the district election was held
and John Lawson was a candidate for
district president. Again the battle
L. s
loafers to beat John Lawson, and while
forty-seven local unions out of sixty
seven gave Lawson 2,77S votes and
the other candidate sos votes, but
when the three national board men,
bers-Watkins, VanHorn and Zim-
merman-got thru counting the votes,
Lawson was defeated and when the
miners asked for a tabulated report
showing the number of votes cast by
each local union, NanHorn, Watkins
and Zimmerman refused TO give il to
them. which showed plain enough that
they had something to hide and all that
the miners wanted was TO know
whether the votes We're honestly cast
and honestly counted.
Charter in a Saloon.
1t is a well known fact that Organ
izers Dick Robinson and Mike Liyoda
established a local union. No. 3TS9, in
the Annex saloon in Ration. y. NJ, and
the bartender is financial secretary.
This local union held no election, but
Just how many votes was sent in, the
miners do not know and the tellers,
NanHOrn, Watkins and Zimmerman,
will not make a report on the matter.
II was thought that the three ma
tional board members who were act
ing as tellers, would not allow any
crooked work in the election, but it
seems that they are as much or more
involved than Moran and his gang,
who are under the direction of John
White and Frank Hayes.
When number of local unions held
a joint representative meeting and
asked Frank Hayes TO investigate the
alleged crooked work. by request of
the organizers, Hayes ignored the min
ers and their request. OF course, the
organizers are more important than
the miners All the miners are good
for is to pay dues, according to Mr..
Hayes.
Build From Bottom Up.
This is not written in defense of
John Lawson. However, if the miners
of District No. Is want John Lawson
for an official of their own district,
that is their business.
Neither is this written to tell the
miners something they do not know,
but to remind them of something they
do know and of the necessity of get
ting rid of such men and methods if
we expect the organization to live and
prosper.
This can only be done by again plac-
ing the organization on democratic
principles and control from the bot
tom up, instead of from the top down.