The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-01-27
MINERS REBUKE }. STRIKING ON JOB
Act Of Nova ScOtian Union Called .Un-American, Lewis
 IndOrsed

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Jan. 26:- Repudiation of the ''ruinous practice of striking on the job and pledge of their high regard for the ''sanctity of contracts was voiced by the United Mine Workers convention today in east ing an overwhelming vote of confidence i in their leader and commenting him the second time for deposing the Officials of the Nova Scotia district.
 Defending his action before the con IventiOn International President John l.. Lewis said he regretted he had to stand before the delegates to answer questions put by the deposed Nova Scotia vice president, Alex McIntire, who said he is no longer q member of the United Mine Workers, but keeper of grog shop" Foster Talks
 Tonight insurgent delegates who styled themselves ''the left wing" drew consolation from the fact that although they had been decisively defeated their leaders had been fiven a full hearing by the convention and had got an express sion of their views into the record. They gathered in their third caucus, heard Willigm z. Foster, reputed communist leaders had been given full hearing by to the administration when the appeals of Alexander lIowatt, deposed Kansas president, and Thomas Alyerscough, ex- pelled pittsburg, Pa, member, are re- ported to the convention Monday morn ing by the committee on appeals and grievances. There was no doubt in any quarter but that the committed would com mend the international executive board for it's action i'll the Howatt and Myers cough cases and recommend that neither of these men be restored to membership.
 Nova ScOtians Struck On Job
 Former International President John F. White made the charge Chat the Nova Scotians had adopted the un-American practice of striking on the job, in an swering Mclntire's attempt to vindicate James Mclaughlin, deposed secretary. Mir. White said he had told the Nova Scotia miners as representative of President Lewis that it would be far more honorable to strike openly alfd avail themselves of the United Mine Workers moral and financial support.
 striking on the j0b," it was ex- plained, is European practice. Work men under this system hold jobs and idle their time away, or work one day, then strike, work one and strike two, or three, and so forth.
 Proof was offered by President Lewis that McLachan and the depOsed Otfi cials took thousands of dollars sent them by the United Mine Workers of Amer lea for relief work, and used it to cir cnlate propaganda sent from the red international at Moscow. The Nova Sc0tians who defended their deposed officials did not answer this and other more serious charges but gave their time to declaring that the law of hu- manity" justified the strike of 1923.
 Lewis Explains Action
 President Lewis said one of the rea sons he had stepped in was that the coal company with property on Cape Breton Island, ill Nova Scotia, had wired him that miners had deserted the pumps and boilers and that sea water was flooding the mines.
 ''The honor," he said, "Of every mem Der of the United Mine Workers of America was pledged to the fulfillment of our contract"
 Before reopening the Nova Scotia case the convention adopted a motion by George w. StOuffer of St. David, III. expunging from the record the ex-, pression of an insurgent yesterday jus hying the killing of mine guards in the Herrin riots.