The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-07-04
FORCE
LEWIS THREAT
OF Big STRIKE
PrOgreSSiUeS Compel
FGker to Speak
tspeoIaI to The paIIy workerl

Nopeclal TO me paily .Worker)
SCRANTON, Pa, July 2.--The hard
coal miners meeting in the tri-dlstriet
convention were yesterday informed
that a nationwide tie-up of the btu
mlnous coal industry "may" take
place II the coal operators continued
to violate the Jacksonville agreement.
Forced by the swelling demand
from the mass of miners, John L.
Lewis has finally been compelled at
least to threaten the operators with
the most powerful weapon of the most
powerful section of the American la
Dor movement, the general strike, al
though he knows better than any one
else that for long time the operators
have continually violated the agree
ment since 1t was signed and have no
intention whatever to abide by its
! terms.
In Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and West
ern Pennsylvania, in spite of the
agreement, working condition are
being reduced and destroyed which
many hundreds of miners have given
their lives to attain, reductions which
have made the miners object slaves.
Conspiracy to Wreck Union
Hundreds of mines in the central
competitive field are closed down,
thru conspiracy Of the railroads and
coal magnates, and the coal contracts
moved TO the non union fields, in the
attempt to destroy the miners union.
Whole district contracts have been
violated, and the miners union des-
troyed. The company union has dis
placed every local belonging to the
U. M. w. of A. in District Is, and the
officials have accepted a reduction of
wages in spite of the miners position
that mo backward STEP be allowed.
District 10 Deceived and Crushed
The Mine Workers in District IS
were informed that if an adjustment
Of wages was made, the mines would
be able to open up; and prosperity
would return.
The miners refused to accept the
proposition but their officials in Dis
trict IS signed contract, the equival-
ent to reduction in wages. Yet the
mines have failed to open up since.
All over the country the reports are
the same, violations of contract and
no relief from the U. N. w. Of A. Of
ficials when the miners try to resist.
A General Strike TO Save the UnIonI
While the miners welcome the
threat Of general strike as voiced
by Lewis, they cannot trust Lewis to
lead them thru such struggle. They
know that only by their overwhelm-
ing demand has he even limited at
militant action to save the miners
union from destruction. And they are
convinced that so long as he heads
the union he will cripple every effort
to really make a general strike and
will betray it in its most crucial hour
rather. than do anything to disturb
domestic tranquility"
The miners want the general strike.
And they remember the betrayal of
the Connellsville men and the meek
surrender to the Anderson injunction,
and they ask, "Will Lewis, who be-
trayed US before, betray us again,
when he has to fight eithers' against
the government or against the
miners interests?" Meanwhile, they
are taking up the cry-"A general
strike to save the union"
Cheer Up, Cal, John Don't Mean It
SWAMPSCOTT, Mass, July Zone
of the problems strikebreaker Cool
idge is troubled with on the serene
horizon Of his summer palace is the
wordy gesture Of John L. Lewis of the
United Mine Workers that If the oper-
ators don't quit violating the Jackson
vile agreement, John L. is going to
up and call a general strike in the
coal fields.
If such strike should come, Presi-
dent Coolidge would face a mean ST.
tuation, but perhaps with the same
policy as when he broke the police
mems strike in Boston, the source of
his fame. However, Coolidge and
Lewis were bosom friends in the cleo
tions, and If there is need for anyone
to yield, 1t will be Lewis.