The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-12-20
CONGRESSMAN ASKED
TO RETRACT CHARGE
MADE AGAINST LEWIS
{By Associated Press)

(By Associated Press)
IDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Dec. 20.-John
l.. Lewis. acting president Of the Unit
ed Mine Workers Of America, denied
"in every particular" a statement at
tributed to him by a member Of con-
gress and used by United States Dis
trict Judge A. B. Anderson in his
charge to the federal grand jury. sum-
moned to investigate the coal strike.
In q statement made public here to-
day. Mr.. Lewis. as q part Of the state
ment, also made public letter he had
written to Congressman Schuyler Mer-
rift, of Connecticut, requesting that
you make amends for your mistake
by making public admission Of the
fact"
Judge Anderson. in his charge to
the grand jury, did not mention the
name of the congressman. but the
Congressional Record of Oct. 80 prints
q speech by Congressman Merritt con-
tanning the quotation. Mr.. Lewis's
statement and the letter follow:
Some one has done me q very great
injustice, and I feel that the public
should know it. 1t has been charged
against me that I made certain state
ments that I never made and would
not make. In his instructions to the
federal grand jury which is now In
vestigating the coal industry, Judge
Anderson called attention to a speech
made by a member of congress on
October 20, in which that congress-
man said:
Speech 10 Quoted.
"'Mr. John L. Lewis, now acting
president of the United Mine Work
ers, when attending one of the joint
conferences with the operators re-
ferred to the purpose of the confer.
ence as follows:
GAS I understand it, it is for the
purpose Of wiping out competition be-
stween US as miners first, viewing 1t
from our side OF the question; next.
for the purpose of wiping out compe-
tition as between the operators in
these four states When we have sue
ceeded in that and we have perfected
an organization on both sides Of the
question, then If understand the real
purpose of this movement, it is that
we will jointly declare war on every
man outside of this competitive field
who will do anything in any way en-
dangering the peace that exists be-
tween US. "'What is necessary to do
this? Organize our forces in the COM
peting fields as far as the United Mine
Workers are concerned. Go into these
outside competing fields and tell your
competitors that they have to Join
this movement, whether they like it or
not, and give stability to the coal
business Of the United States"
This congressman was Schuyler
Merritt of Connecticut, known to be
one Of the most implacable enemies OF
oTg4nixod lkbpr. Why he made such
statement about nae passes my un-
d6rstaifding, for he had not the slight
est grounds forsdoing 20. At no time,
at no place, and under no circum.
stances did ever make the statement
which he charges to me. Congress
man Merritt could have learned this
truth before making the speech If he
had wished to do SO.
Judge Anderson had q right to re-
ly on the speech Of Congressman Mer-
ritt as containing the truth, for the
speech was published in the Congress.
sional Record, this giving it Official
standing. But I say now that Con-
gressman Merritt's quotation of state
ments alleged to have been made by
me is false and wholly unwarranted.
I can only think that his speech was
part of the carefully planned and
skillfully executed scheme to create a
prejudice in the minds of the public
against the United Mine Workers of
America"