The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-03-28
jim MAC LACHLAN'
CHEERED AT BIC.
MEETINGS
Lewis and Gang Near
End of Rope

Jim McLachlan, released from
Canadian prison, where he was in
sarcerated with the aid Of John L.
Lewis and the British Empire Steel
Company, is now speaking to large
and enthusiastic meetings thruout the
mining fields of Nova Scotia, while
the provisional officers who are sent
IN by Lewis to take the place Of the
aeposed officers are afraid to face the
miners.
The letter printed below, which
was written by Jim McLachlan to
Thomas Myerscough, shows what des-
perate straits the Lewis tools are in.
It appears that the ''great mind of
I.he International union, the strutting
ebopiniay, John L. Lewis was film
bammed and bunkoed by the British
Empire Steel Company, and his lac
keys are no longer able to live up to
The generous promises they made to
The miners.
Some Debit
In addition to their other troubles
he "cuckoo officers" Shiny" Barrett
md Company have a debt Of $lOO,-
800 hanging around their necks and
The business men who advanced them
redit now threaten to put them be-
lind the bars. Roguery does not al
ways pay. The letter follows:
Dear Comrade Myerscough: Your
etter of March 9th had evidently
zone to the Pen after l left there and
,nIy reached me here two days ago.
While in Dorchester, found the
ruards all night and while | could not
ret any papers Of any kind, yet thru
Iome of the guards learned much
If what was going on, on the outside
especially about the U. M. w. con-
rention. l am not bit the worse
Tor my Jail experience, l lost q few
BOUNDS Of flesh, was only abs to tip
he scales at 1876 pounds, when l
lame out, but just about my "hgnt-
ng" weight.
John Us imposed officers in this
district are in a bad way. First, they
,ould not tell the men whether they
we're on strike, or suspension. Then
Ihey contracted over one hundred
thousand dollars debt with the mer-
,hants in relief during the strike
~ Suspension" and now John L.
WON'T pay, saying that they had no
authority to contract this debt. The
little merchants are in the air, THEN
mail WORKING capital being used ur
this debt and are threatening
Sarrett and Co., with the law. Then
he miners voted down their Mon
real Agreement" and Dalrymple
wears this is the first time in the
history Of the mine workers that mel
wer voted against an agreement
negotiated by their officers.
Afraid TO Co To Meetings.
The proposed contract is actually
,cut to the men. None Of the Lewis
men dare go to a local union bu
,ontent themselves by talking to the
men thru the yellow press. They are
feel sure, on the run and | expec
,ig things to take place here before
Nav. | also feel sure that the of
ici;ls of the British Empire Stee
Corporation have doubled-crosse'
Lewis.
Before the contract was negotiate'
Dalrymple, Barrett and Co. pro
laimed that they would come bacl
With the 1921 rates. This the Of
icials Of the company had promises
Is reward for deposing Livingston
md the rest of us, but when it cam
q the real Showdown, they refuses
% come across, so they had to TAX
What they could get. All of thes
hings taken together are making tn
lunch good and sick.
The question of the debt, and tn
question of the action to be taken /
flew of the adverse vote comes up a
he international Executive Board j
April, and would not bat an eye t
zee Lewis pull up stakes in Nov
Scotia. Meantime the locals her
ire becoming more aggressive, dc
handing a convention to; first, dra'
lp new wage demands and seconc
.ppoint men to run district election
yince coming out on the 9Th, ] hav
lcld packed meetings every night, e1
iept three nights, and ! know thes
meetings are worrying the Fat-me
death. We shall keep up the figt
until the Lewis gang are driven GU
With kindest personal regards,
| am, with comradely greeting
j. B. McLACHLAN.