The Topeka state journal., 1921-09-20
President Lewis of Miners
Union Scores Alex. HOwat.
Declares Union Must Keep All
Its Contracts.
URGES FIGHT ON new COURT
Declares Kansas Law Move of
"AStute Politicians"
HOWat, en-. Route to National
Convention, Silent.

Indianapolis, Ind, Sept. 2o.-John
L. Lewis, president of the United
Mine Workers of America, in his BIZ
ennial report to the International con-
vention of the organization here to-
day. recommended that legal pro-
ceedings be instituted to make a full
test Of the constitutionality of the
Kansas industrial court law, and that
the convention indorse the interna-
tional executive boards action in two
Kansas strikes in which it was said
that Alexander Howat, president OF
the Kansas miners, had defied su-
perior officers by not ordering the
men back to work.
The industrial court act, Mr.. Lewis
asserted, was initiated by an astute
and ambitious politician" and. he as
serted, that its provisions violate the
federal constitution in that it restricts
the right of individual and collective
contract.
This law is, without question:
Lewis said, "a most vicious attack
workers and is clearly a trespass upon
the constitutional prerogatives of citi-
zens'
Is Net New Law.
He added that the law did not pre-
sent new idea, but that it was SINH
lar to one enacted by the Scottish
parliament in 1906. and was a fear
some skeleton. hoary with age.
dragged from the obscurity of q bar.
barous past" The Scottish law, he
said, made it felony for a miner to
leave his employment without the
consent of the coal owner or the legat
magistrate of his district.
IT.
cases, Mr.. Lewis said the two strikes
were in violation of the agreement be-
tween miners and operators and that
the international board had directed
Howat to order the men back to work.
but that Howat had not compiled with
the order in either case.
Must Keep Faith.
"Our union" said Lewis in this con-
nection, is being charged in many
quarters with violation OF its obliga-
tions as set forth in our wage agree
ments and, therefore, il becomes in
cumbent upon us in such plain and
obvious cases as these to decline to
justify such criticism, to make every
effort to effect proper and harmonious
settlements.
Defiance of the constituted au-
thorities of our organization by district
, officers who are pledged to uphold its
law and its rulings is indeed repre-
hensible. Unless our union can regu-
late its own affairs. according to de-
fined rules and the provisions of its
constitution, there is indeed small hope
that it can exercise any great influ-
ence in the public affairs of our coun-
try. In these two cases I ask the
: deliberation of the unprejudiced dele
gates to this convention and endorse
ment of the international executive
board.
National Meeting On.
Delegates from the coal fields of the
United States and Canada assembled
here today for the opening of the bien-
nial convention of the United Mine
Workers of America, which is to con-
slider many important questions af-
( fecting the coal industry during the
next fortnight.
Organization preliminaries, includ-
| ing the ceremonies of welcome. oc-
cupied the opening program. but this
afternoon President John L. Lewis
CONTINUED on Page Twol