The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-07-25
WAGES
SHAMBATTLE
WITH BOSSES
Bathing Beauties Far
More Engaging

ATLANTIC CITY, N. j., July 23.-
In this cool and comfortable summer
resort, far away from the presence
and influence Of the coal miners, the
sham battle Is being fought right
Justify to make the membership Of
the United Mine Workers Of Ameri-
ca believe thru the capitalist press
reports, that John |. Lewis, traitor Of
thousand selIouts, Is battling bit
terly against heavy odds" for the In
terests Of the coal miners.
Nothing could be further from the
truth. Lewis does not battle the oper-
ators. He reserves all his fighting
for the left wing of the U. M. w. Of
A. represented by the Progressive
Miners committee. Lewis does not
engage in any bitter discussions"
and heated sessions" exist only in
the heated imagination of the capital
list news writer's, who in this instance,
however, cannot be blamed except for
their acceptance of the story of the
sessions as given out by the confer
ence.
There is nothing heated" about the
conference. The cool breezes from
the Atlantic ocean watt away the
suns rays. The luxurious hotels and
the bathing beauties along the borad
walk, far from annoying John L.
Lewis, hold his pleased attention far
more than do the interests OF the
coal diggers shaving in the pits I'M
derground, risking their lives for
niggardly wage or-waht is even
worse-tramping about the country
out of a job because Lewis and his
friends, the operators, agree there are
| 100000 too many miners.
The capitalist press is broadcast
ing stories of violent scenes in the
conference rooms, with Lewis stand
ing at bay, fighting desperately to
prevent the operators from winning
the argument and defeating the an
thracite miners of their demand for
q ten per cent raise in wages.
Lewis Afraid of General Strike.
The very idea that Lewis sought to
raise the issue of the bituminous min
ers in the anthracite conference is
pure poppycock He hasn't the CUTS
to do it, in spite of the fact that the
needs of the miners make necessary
the unity of the miners turnout the
industry with a contractual recogni.
ton of their mutual interests. Lewis
had the chance many times before to
bring up the question Of general
contract for the whole industry with
a general strike if turned down. He
never had the CUTS before and no miner
believes he has changed, by going
down to watch the bathing beauties at
Atlantic City. ,rrs
The only reason the, operators are
claiming that it is being brot in, is
by stretching the fact that the chief
lame duck among the u NJ. W. or
ganizers, Van Bittner, sent a tele-
l. gram from West Virginia, to Secre-
| tary of Labor Davis, that predicted
a general strike in both anthracite
and bituminous fields if something
was not done to stop bituminous OPP
orators from violating the agreement.
Operators Begin Directing Early.
| The miners of the pits, however,
| guffaw heartily at the idea of Van
Bittner mentioning a general strike,
remarking that his very soul shrinks
I, from any sort of strike and would be
withered up by the thot of strike Of
all coal miners of the nation. 1t is
| thot, indeed, that his telegram was
sent merely to give the operators a
| talking point over which to rave and
to prevent the matter getting any fur
Their by numbering the infant idea in
the cradle.
Lewis has demanded" with a
mouse's voice, that the salaries of
paid coal company officials be pub
lished. The Progressive Miners com
mittee have long demanded this, and
in addition that the profits. running
up to astronomical figures, wrung
from the sweat of the anthracite min
ers be published and that the millions
more concealed in royalties and sal
aries be disclosed. If profits were
revealed, the miners demand for even
twenty per cent would be seen to be
modest indeed.