The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-10-23
PROGRESSIVES
SMASH Lewis
in nova SCOTIA
T. u. E. L. Policies Are
Again INDICATED
BY ]. B. McLACHLAN
Especial to the Daily Worker)

CLACE BAY, Nova Scotia,
Oct. 21.-After fourteen months
of a provisional rule, set up by
John L. Lewis in District No. 20,
the miners Of Nova Scotia have
again their district charter re-
stored, and are again running
their own affairs.
Had Lewis deliberately set
out fourteen months ago to
wreck the miners union his re-
cord here could not be blacker.
He started out by wrecking
strike where the miners had
victory almost within their
grasp.
The strike had been called as pro
test against the use Of government
armed forces which were being used
to crush the striking steel workers. So
effective was the tie-up in the mines
that the encouragement Of Canada,
had, after a conference with the min
ers' officers agreed to the withdrawal
Of the troops. (+) Hardly had these
miners officers left the governor-gen-
eral, than Lewis got word of what was
going on and rushed to the aid of the
British Empire Steel corporation by de-
posing the district officers and revok-
ing the charter and ordering the min
ers back to work on pain of taking
away their local union charters. For
this black deed Lewis will never,
never be forgiven by the miners of
Nova Scotia.
Broke His Word.
BY such acts as these did Lewis
continue to reign in Dist. No. 26. He
promised the men relief last January
when they again had to strike to resist
a wage cut. He never kept his word,
but made contract with the coal COM
panies behind the mems backs which
enabled him to collect out of the pay
envelopes of the miners $11S,00O. This
precious contract of his he submitted
/ " q lOlCICuuuu4 NOlg Va tnO I4AACA D.
1t was voted down., and he told the
miners it did not matter how they
voted, the contract would go into eff
feet. ~A~
Wasted Union Funds.
The men he set up as district Of
Ulcers were men that the miners had
previously kicked out of Office. These
men, like the man that put them there.
held the rank and file in contempt.
They spent the union funds like water
until the corrupt Lewis himself got
disguised with them and fired them all
and restored the district autonomy, en-
abling the miners to elect their own
officers.
Lewis sent three men from Indian
apolis to audit the district books for
the 14-month period. Their audit was
so glaringly wrong that Lewis ordered
a second audit. The excuse they made
for coming back to make the second
audit was that there was too much
rum in the dictrict office the first time
to permit proper audit being made.
May Land in jail.
The second audit showed that
$1,4S1.50 had been stolen and now the
, Lewis secretary-treasurer for Dist. No
26 is up against the bonding company
and may find himself in jail before il
is all over
Such is John L. Lewis record il
Dist. No. 26. With shameless treach
cry to the working class Of Nova
Scotia, he came in here; with black
est shame and dishonor he goes out.
During all this trying period not 1
man left the union. But Lewis expel
led hundreds. The miners of Nova
Scotia always had an industrial form
of organization, every man from thu
coal face to the shipping piers being
members. Lewis threw all the sec
ton men out OF the union. These
men looked after some $50 miles o
road. Others were also thrown out
such as mine examiners.
Progressives in Control.