Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-03-28
Fourth Labor
Fight for Lewis,
Head Of Miners

Indianapolis. Ind, March 27.-(By
the Associated Press.)-As the leader
in the impending nationwide coal
strike, John L. Lewis. president of
the United Mine Workers of America,
will enter his fourth big industrial
conflict. Unless present indications
so awry, he will lead labor's largest
strike army in the history of the
United States, for the strike set for
April / threatens to call ouA
more than 100000 workers scattered
throughout the United States.
Conflicts between employers and
workers. in which Mr.. Lewis has
stood out prominently, are these:
The 1919 soft coal strike of $500
miners. which was broken by the gov
crnmcnt, after which the miners got
24-cent ton increase in the
wages. their largest single pay ad-
vance.
The first attempt, made in 1854,
to unionize the steel industry. Mr..
Lewis having charge of the field
workers of the American Federation
of. Labor: the movement failed, ac-
cordlng to union men because of
Widespread unemployment.
inc great copper strike in Upper
Michigan during 1913 in which Mr..
Lewis, as general field agent of the
American Federation of Labor, as
sisted in the general conduct of the
strike
Strike troubles, however, have been
only small part of Mr. Lewis work
within the organized labor movement.
In 1910 at the age of thirty he was
elected Il representative of the Hi
mons union miners, and in October
1911, he became general field agent of
| the American Federation of Labor. re-
signing in February, 1917, TO become
StatlStician of the United Mine
Workers of America. On Oct. %, 1917,
he was elected vice president of the
United Mine Workers, and on Feb.
D. 1920. became president, having for a
short time previously been the unions
acting president.
Since 1916. Mr.. Lewis has partici-
nated in all interstate conferences be-
tween miners and operators in the
adjustment of questions affecting the
mining industry, and since 1917 he
mas mad full charge Of the admins
trative and field forces of the union
III extending the organization into
many non-uniOn fields. In 1901. he
was member of the commission.
composed of miners. operators and
public men, which was created by the
Illinois general assembly to revise
mining laws, and in 1916 he declined
an appointment from Governor Low
den as director of the Illinois depart
mcnt of labor. During the world
war. he was a member of the National
committee on Coal Production, and
later co-operated with the National
Fucl Administration on problems af-
fcctin% coal productions and distribu-
ton In the first year of President
llardings administrator, Mr.. Lewis
served on the commission that cor
related the work Of various govern
mcnt bureaus dealing with the well
fare Of cN-acrvicc men. and also on
the commission that laid the founda-
ton for the recent unemployment
conference.
In brief, Mr.. Lewis life story is one
Of a miners son, born in an Iowa
hamlet, who has become the leader of
one Of the most powerful labor or
carnations in the world He was
born Feb. II. 1880. at Lucas, Iowa.
and after attending the public schools
entered the mines to work With his
father. Later he supplemented his
public school education with courses
of reading and study in specialized
subjects. particularly economies. In
his tWentieS. he Travelled extensively
through west and southwest states, I
engaging in coal and metalliferous
mining. He is married and has two
children, son. age nine, and a
daughter. age two.
As president of the miner workers
union. Mr.. Lewis has for months past
been in disagreement with Alexander {,
lIOWat, who he depoSed as president
of the Kansas district union, and
Frank harrington. the Illinois dis
trict president. who has championcd
HOwats side. In these controversies.
Mr.. Lewis policies have won approval
whenever brought before the unions
conventions. The factional fight, how
ever, is n latent threat of rife in
the unity of the miners forces in
event of the great strike.