The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-12-03
Gompers' Agent Sides
With Mine Owners In
Minnesota Disaster
BY J. LOUIS ENoDAHL.

TO-DAY the widows and orphans Of the a who
their lives in the Milford disaster near Crosby
Mnn, Feb. S. told that the owners are not to
blame for the tragedy.
The investigation committee that now makes its report
after 70 months and absoves the mine barons headed
faker
Stee Gar Gary could not have rendered better service
to the ruling class than McEwen has DONE
McEwen received his appointment at the hands Of the
republican governor of the mine Mr.. Preu who
has been fought most bitterly by the reaction
airy elements Of the Minnesota Farmer Labor Party He has
been attacked by the most conservative elements in the
trade unions as the worst enemy of labor
But McEwen not only accepted this appointment the
hands OF Governor Preus but proceeded bootck
capitalist interests of Minnesota McEwen learned to do this
in the best style editor Of comper labor sheet publish
iron country where the steel trust has located Of its
largest mills
1t while the Minnesota Farmer Labor Party was
strongest that McEwen joined its ranks. His nomination,
thte Duluth district bitterly fought by the Communists
urging revolutionary working class program The Com
munists, waged magnificent campaign that almost
suited in the nomination of their candidate J. O. BentaI
But the workers and poor farmers in Minnesota, in the
final elections their votes to Coolidge, the strike
breaker for president and turned the government Of
Minnesota to the republican machine of the mine
ers the big bankers the grain gamblers the rich farmers
and the landlords This reversal finds McEwen treading
softly back into the republican camp using the Milford
disaster as the basis of his treason
The miners knew the danger that threatened Them
They forced to blast and dig under Foley Lake.
Daily their work places drew the overhead
They protested, the DAILY WORKER pointed the
time of the disaster But heed given their protests
If they didn't like their jobs they could quit. There
other workers waiting to take their places They had
union Many brilliant strikes the iron range had been
broken The workers cowed Then the day of death
came-Feb. S. 1924.
The ickspite McEwen, in his report argues that the
waters might have rushed in when the at
work. Or the mud and the muck and the lake water should
just have oozed in slowly philosophers McEwen that
the miners could have escaped But didn't happen that
way McEwen turns his eyes syward and this in his
report:
"su this thru the
middle Of the afternoon Of Feb when all Of the peacefully
working their places expecting nothing the routine
Of their work"
Thus McEwen proves buwark against any real pro-
lection of the lives of Mnnesotas for the future
His committee merely recommends the usual mine safety
commission to propose the customary safety egisIaon
$4,000 for safety educational work. permission for mine in
pectos to attend safety conferences and that assistant
be provided mine inspectors in counties where there
more than SO operating mines.
This hackneyed report however, offers several opportu-
mites for Governor Preus, his the republican,
Christensen to appoint McEwen soft job where he
wait providence determine the time and the place
for the next mine disaster.
This is the type of Compers agent that spends most of
its time trying to drive the Communists of the unions
It IS the brand of American Federation Of Labor machine
politician that joins the capitalist class in its red-baitng
drives in every political struggle.
Some of safety the job under capitalism
only thru workers control Every mine operation in
Northern Minnesota everywhere ese should have its
Communist nucleus Communist will fight for the safety of
the workers. Communists will make every danger
that threatens the workers. For Communists wage the only
struggle that hits the vital interests of the bosses all of
these interests being opposed to the welfare of the workers.
In the hour that the great of labor unites in sup
port of the Communist struggle not only for the days needs
but for all power; then McEwen and his capitalist friends
will not speculate about what power that decreed
their downfall They will know that it the power Of
the workers united against all their oppressors Let the
miners of Minnesota, they read the Judas findings Of the
Gompes agent McEwen resolve work harder than
to build that class power Of their