New Britain herald., 1919-12-20
DENIES HE EYER WANTED
 UNION MINE MONOP0LIES
John l.. Lewis Claims An Added Grievance Because Judge Anderson, Quoting from Congressional Record, in His Charge to tho Grand Jury Investigating Coal Strike.

Indianapolis, Dec. 20.--John l., Lewis. acting president of the United Mine Workers of America, denied Tn every particular" statement attrl- buted to him by member of con- Rress and used by United States Dis trict Judge A. B. Anderson in his charge to the federal grand Jury summoned to investigate the coal strike in a statement made public here today. MT. Lewis, as q part or the statement, also made pubic a letter he had written to Congressman Schuyler Merritt of Connecticut, requesting that you make amends for your mistake by making public admission of the fact
 Claims Great Injustice.
 MT. Lewis statement says:
 Someone has done me very great injustice and I feel that the public should know 1t. It has been charged against me that made certain state- ments that l. never, made. and would not make. Tn his instructions to the federal grand jury which IS now tn- westigatin, the. coal industry. Judge Anderson called attention to a speech made by a member of congress on October .29 in which that congress- man said: ,..'''.. '.'..
 Tho. Alleged Statement.
 "1As I understand it, 1t is for the purpose of wipiag out competition between us as miners first viewing It from our side of the uutstion; next, for the purpose of wipins out cont petition as between the operators in these four states. When we have succeeded in that and we have per- fected an organization on both sides of the question, then, if understand the real purpose of this movement. 1t Is that we will jointly declare war on every man outside of this com petitive field who will do anything in any way endangering the peace that exists between us.
 What is necessary to do this? Organize our forces in the competing z 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 1t or not and give stability to the coal business of the United States
 Enemy of Organized Labor.
 This congressman was Schuyler Merritt of Connecticut, known to he one of the most implacable enemies of organized labor. Why he made such a statement about me passes my understanding, for he had not the slightest grounds for doing so. At no time, at no place, and under no cir cumstances, did I ever make the statement which he charges to me. Congressman Merritt could have learned this before making the speech If he had wished to do so.
 Demands Full KctraCtiOn.
 Judge Anderson had a right to rely upon the speech of Congressman n Merritt as containing the truth, for the speech was published in the Congressional Record, thus giving it official standing. But I say now that Congressman Merritt's quotation of statements alleged to have been made by me is false and wholly unuar- Tanted.
 1T have written Congressman Mev- ritt n letter demanding a traction of the false charge which he made against me and which now forms ono of tho important bases for the fed eral grand jury investigation.'