The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-11-17
BY ALEX REID
Secretary Progressive Miners Committee

the mines and further pledged
themselves to launch a drive
thruout the country for support.
No one at that convention will ever
forget the scene OF wild enthusiasm,
as John L. Lewis, then acting vice
president, In Hayes place, supported
by Bill Green, Frank harrington, and
the delegates unanimously, Numbered
forth to the expectant determined
coal diggers that:
I'VE declare for the Nationalist
tlon and democratic management Of
all the coal mines In the United
States"
The scene at that time in the con-
vention was inspiring. John Lewis
was playing to the gallery. He knew
the miners we're fighting for nation
Alization, and the demonstration for
that program was unmistakable and
unanimous.
Contrast that statement with
Lewis position now on nationalist
ton, as shown in his book recently
pablished. entitled The Miners Fight
for American Standards.
awe propose to allow natural eoo-
Romle Laws free play In the produc-
ton and distribution Of coal. Real
cooperation between the men and
oWnershlp can be attained all the
moro 80 because, they have a COM
mon Interest Of resisting the on
siauuhts Of the irresponsible eIe-
ments which dominate the Industry
In regions where labor Is virtually
enslaVed."
Reputation OF naturalization is
now the policy of the Lewis machine.
The progressive miners demand ma
tionalization of mines, and In the
present anthracite strike made 1t a
part of their program. They, the pro-
gressive miners, have received the
most bitter opposition from the Lewis
machine, part of which went so far
as to go into the capitalist courts in
Scranton, Pennsylvania, and aid in
the railroading of progressive miners
to prison.
Whom Do You Mean?
We ask Lewis, who are those ele-
ments that dominate the industry and
have virtually enslaved us? And who
are those with whom we have a com
mon interest?
Any man of average intelligence
knows the miners are enslaved thru
out the whole of the country, and the
enslaving force is the same every
where-the coal owners of the nation.
The miners are In a state Of semi
starvation thruout America, union
and non-union fields alike and no man
Ia more responsible for this situa-
ton than Lewis himself with his
class collaboration machine.
A common interest. With whom
have we a common interest? Such
bunk as virtually enslaved miners
having a common interest with the
millionaire mine owners is ridiculous.
This common interest-class COLA
boration policy of Lewis has resulted
in the wrecking of the union and de-
creasing the miners wages turnout
America, Nova Scotia, Alberta, Wash
ington, Colorado, Wyoming, all the
states in the southwest, and most of
them In the east are today working
under decreases direct or indirect as
result of this common interest"
policy.
A Common Enslavement.
When this policy was breaking up
the union and further reducing the vir-
tually enslaved miners, John L. Lewis
stood by and refused to call nation
al strike and protect the enslaved,
thereby aiding the common interests
In the enslavement.
Naturalization OF the miners ia a
partial solution for the situation in
the mining industry Of this country