Evening journal., 1920-11-04
Copyright 1920 Ne W York Tribune Inc.

so bring defeat on some rival leader
who had to call or handle them, have
been nOtoriously one OF their chief |
means which labor leaders have used /
Ia thelr struggle for control OF union
power.
During IN war, Mr.. Frank ]. Hayes,
president OF the United Mine Workers |
OF America, had been what was |
known as one OF the administration |
labor m5n. In fact, he became so |
closely associated and identified with |
the administrations ideas and policies |
that he went to Paris with President |
Wilson as one OF his labor advisers !
on the peace treaty and the League
OF Nations. During Mr.. Hayes absence
In Europe the affairs of the btu
mln0uS coal miners were in the hands
Of John l.. Lewis, acting president,
and William Green, secretary-treas-
urer
1t was common knowledge in coal
circles IN at certain powerful Western
state officials Of the United Mine
Workers had for some time previous
to this, by political maneuverlng and
! by. alliances with the more radical
element among the miners, been con-
ltinuously Increasing their power in
union affairs, and 10 was commonly
admitted that they were aiming at
the control OF the national union. It
is also obvious that the prolonged ab-
sence OF the union president in Paris
and reports OF a breakdown in his
Health made the summer and fall Of
1918 a psych illogical moment for seek
ing TO increase this power. It Is also
common knowledge that this group
OF state officials first proposed at this
time and began widespread agitation
amOng all coal workers for a 60 per
cent raise in wages and a strike on
November if this increase were not
granted.
The politics and motives behind
this move have been definitely stated
/. and admitted by men absolutely in a
position to know, and all the logic
and clrcumstantial evidence bear their
statement out.
A coal strike in November, just at
the beginning OF winter, would be a
national calamity The government
would not allow IL. Moreover, Mr..
Hayes, president of the union, who
would have to call such a strike, h ad
personally signed a wage agreement,
under government supervision, which
would have TO be definitely and pub
licly broken If the strike were called
November 1. In addition to this, Mr.
Hayes close association with the ad-
ministratiOn before and at Paris COM
> bined to make it virtually impossible
for him to call such a strike, and II
would obviously be futile for him to
propose such an advance, in breach
fof his own contract, unless he backed
IL with a strike.
On the other hand. the go per cent
I increase on November 4 or strike" had
been so sk'lfully agitated among the
miners, and particularly among the
local leaders and delegates, and such
a laree sentiment had been created in
favor Of it that if Mr.. Hayes should
oppose 10 at the union convention,
where it was to be brought up, there
was the greatest possibility that he
might be defeated and ousted from
power.
: But whether because Of these Cir
! cimstances or because his health ac-
: tually would not permit, Mr.. Hayes,
when the Paris Conference was con-
/ cluded, did not reassume the duties OF
his office, but went rlctly TO a sana-
tOrium in Colorado. This left Mr.
! Lewis, the acting president, and Mr.
Z Green, eecretary-treasurer, face 10
! face with the situation:
. II thevsOpposed the go per cent in
!. crease or strike" there was a prOba-
! bllity that the miners delegates would
u vote to carry this program over their
= heads, which not only meant great
Z loss Of prestige but the probability
uIlkl-
4 mated and pOpularized the GO per cenl
u increase demands would come into
! full national power at the next ma
a tiOnal election.
y II, on the other hand, Mr.. Green anC
y Mr bewis acquiesced in the go pei
: cent increase on November 1 oil
y strike" they wRuld still receive littl
= credit, because the movement hal
" been conspicuously originated .enI
a. h.r g.
a over, as the officials in power, the,
- would bear the responsibility befor
y the government and public Opinion
M calling for such a strike, they Woull
y bear the burden Of managing Tn
~ strike, and If such a str ke-base
d, ION a breach Of written contract, mes
~ Iessarily bitterly opposed by the gov
\, ernment and the people, and on
y whose very threat would impose
,e tremendous hardship on the people
10 should, as seemed inevitable upde
-, the circumstances, be defeated, Nj
". Lewis and Mr.. Green would have &
Z. bear the blame among all the unio
y members for the defeat. fnd thi
" again promised well for th cir oppO
T. nents at the next national election
= Obviously. Mr.. Green and Mr.. Levi
- faced an almost complete dilemm,
VI The trap was so laid that either {
III oppose the strike or 10 carry out IN
~ strike seemed TO mean defeat and los
55ss OF prestige, and probably loss Of OF
~ flee. Obviously, as a matter Of pra,
es tical strategy, there was only one wa
u in such a situation that, any leadel
70 could expect 10 keep their prestip
pa and their power. First they woul
'r' have TO substitute a program eve
s, more popular with the men and II
lu which they could claim the credit
lil and, second, they would have 10 carr
n this program through to victory. {
ne at least to enough victory TO satisf
US the men that they had got for thel
OF everything that II was possible fC
no any one TO get.
n Messrs. Lewis and Green did e,
or actly these two things. They orig
oi mated a new program Of not only
20 GO per cent advance, but that advanc
for thirty hours work a week. The
us they Tough ito carry out this progral
CT with every weapon and every mear
be in their power. As an incident 10 IN
or tight, millions OF other labOrers WEI
n thrown out OF employment and N
OF country suffered over a billion dolla
he loss. But Messrs Lewis and Gree
nd kept their jobs
he Presbyterian church, will meet th