The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-01-23
The United Mine Workers Convention Will
Have Decisive Effect on the Course
of the American Labor Movement


union in the United States faces urgent problems
involving effectiveness having
important consequences whole working than does the
United Mine Workers America whose thirtiet international
convention it's sessions Indianapolis Tuesday, Jan %
Since the signing Jacksonville agreement in the spring
Of 1924 the coal barons have carried offensive against this
organization In many not most of the districts OF the union the
wages and working conditions stipulated in the agreement have
been disegarded by the operators Where the jacksonville scale
has not been violated formally the operators have closed their mines
for long periods allowed the markets to be flooded from the south
nonunon fields and have forced unemployment for long
two years in instances upon the miners.
Coupled with this unemployment systematic attack
working conditions and the Inauguration of pdup systems
Developments production has increased
estimate that today
competitive held socaed Illinois, Oho Indiana and western Penn
yvanhave been stranged by nonuniOn fedWest Virginia
Tennessee Kentucky and part of Pennsylvania itselas i'm
portant part of the campaign against the union
AS appendix to the Jacksonville agreement there the
understanding between President John L. Lewis and the coal
sors that 100000 miners be starved of the
dusy in normaze" it. The offensive operators
against the union has been aided greatly by this understanding
amounting practice tacit approval of unemployment
among the union membership
followed up by
continuous attack against the most active elements the union
who opposed this policy
organize the nonunion fields
the union now spite the
coal due the shortage by the British strike
pratOn of the Jacksonville badly
dition
growing, the 100000
two and onehaf years.
agreement expires this spring
coal barons is shown by their announcement following meeting
Of operators from Illinois, Ohio and Indiana Cleveland recently
that they intend 20 per
wage together with certain efficiency provisions
being quantities preparation
strike spring with the nonunion fields top produ
tOn the believe that they defeat the United Mine
Workers
Upon the speedy organization of the nonnon fields the life
Of the o. NJ w of A. the largest union in America depends
The fought out around three
main OgansOrganzaton of the nonunOn fields abolition Of
operators the naturalization
which with number of other important demands cystazed
slogan, "Saye the Union"
the election years ago. the Lewis machine not
public tabuated list of the aho
the "Saye the Union ticket John Brophy given
something like $4,000 by the machine while
As of there many
total claimed and it is certain Brophy
feated Lewis in actual votes cast.
will be the
the convention BY denouncng the Communists Lewis will
TO distract attention things 100000
betrayal the strikers Pennsylvania
organize decisive nonunon territories the exclusion
other militant miners election crookedne
reactionary incompetent administration
The rank file opposition which fighting
program will the demagogy agents
with demand Of his the union
abuad list Of the vote and nsence energetic oganz
campaign preparation for the expiration Of the agreement
The struggle for militant unonim indianapolis win
real for the left wing bloc in the miners union They bear the
responsibility for saving the union and they must at all
fight for their program with ranks unbroken
The miners convention always great Importance the
American labor movement but this because Of the crisis in
industry and the union win than have decisive
auence the struggles Of the American workers,
Under circumstances spite provocaon and
corruption Of the union leadership split be allowed
place The left wing has great task carry in preventing
The encouragement created by the reaction and ncompy Of the
Lewis machine developing into secession movement which would
by coal the capitalists generally
save the Union" will be the battle Of the militant poke
of the rank and file at Indianapolis,