Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-11-18
J. L. LEWIS A HARD FIGHTER
Fact Was Somewhat obsoured In
Recent Coal Strike by Many For
tUltous circumstances
by GEORGE Nox MCCAIN
IOHN I. LEWIS, president Of tho Ul

TOHN J.. LEWIS, president of tho United
c Mine Workers of America, who has loomed
large on the labor horizon for the past
few months. is, ! find, regarded by the out
side world as a fire. eating radical and the
exponent of theories akin to those of Lenipe
and Trotsky.
In real life, however, John L. Lewis is
most afable and agreeable individual. He
is a tri6e reserved, not given to overmuch
talking, and is particularly reticent about
discussing with outsiders questions affecting
the bituminous coal situation.
In personal appearance he is OF average
height and well built; heavily built in fact.
Tho conspicuous feature of his physical
makeup is large head with a mass of
bushy black hair parted on the left, stand
ing out oil around, as though rebellious of
restraint.
Mr.. Lewis has good face--a notable
face. 1t is smooth ehaven and is that of
preacher or evangelist. His eyebrows are
dark like his eyes and very heavy. He has
good command of language, does not hurry
his utterance, and does not waste his words.
MIR. LEWIS is not au exception to up.
A'L to- date labor leaders as u class in the
matter of dress and personal appearance
He wears black usually with dark four
IN hand tie, ind no jewelry. The labor
leaders at the recent great but unfortunate
industrial conference in Washington were,
as / pointed out at the time, as carefully
dressed and as particular about their per-
sonal appearance as the most fastidious
members of the other groups.
At the Indianapolis conference of mine
officials last week. the same manner of dress
and department distinguished the second
rank of mine leaders as it did the first
[ cOul0 NOT refrain from pornnarin1 fba
appearance of these mine representatives of
today with those whom | knew generation
ago in western Pennsylvania.
The office Of the Pittsburgh mining district
at that time was on the left side Of Fifth
avenue just above Smithfield street on the
second floor front of four story build
Ing. The stairway was dirty and un-
swept. The banister was broken. The
headquarters was in u large room whose
punishment consisted of a deal table in the
center, Uttered with newspapers, an old
fashioned desk near the window, where
President Jones sat, and q dozen or two
wooden chairs of the kitchen type ranged
round the walls. The floor, like the stair
way, was worn and uncarpeted. II was
swept once a week, judge.
w. A. Jones, the then president of the
miners union, was a member of the bar,
where he had achieved no great success. He
was a graduate Of the mine and he carried
the roughpess of mine driver dealing with
his mules into the legal profession. 1t
didn't work. Finally he was elected presi-
dent of the district union. From first to last
he was an unlovely character. He was com
bativc, wordy and uncouth. Even the miners
got tired of him at last.
The miners delegates of that day gave
little heed TO personal appearance when at
tending a district meeting. Many of them
were collarlcss. Others carried their coats
on their arms, If it was midsummer. They
were not particular in the use of soap, and
there were often little grimy circles around
their eyes.