The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-01-27
TASKS OF THE MINERS CONVENTION

been ruthless. Opposition leaders like
Alexander Howat of Kansas, whose
only crime was that they wanted the
union to put up a real fight on be-
half of the miners interests, have been
barred as candidates for office and
even expelled from the union for long
periods. Others have been bought off.
Even conservative opposition Of cle-
rents no less corrupt than Lewis,
such as Harrington, have been elm
mated.
New Opposition Rises.
But just when Lewis thought that
he had completely destroyed all OPP
position, was the unchallenged czar
Of the U. NJ. W.. to rule and ruin it
as he saw fit, Lewis finds himself
faced with the most serious challenge
in the last six years. All the worth
while elements Of the U. NJ. w. union,
all those who see the impending
disaster that Lewis has been prepar-
ing so long, all those who still believe
that the union can be saved and made
strong and again regain control of
the entire industry-have at last
united and found real leadership,
headed by John Brophy, the progress
sive President of district two, sup
ported by William Stevenson, mem
Der of the National Executive Board,
William Brennan, former president of
the largest anthracite district of
Pennsylvania, and other SUCH sub
stantial elements whose devotion to
the interest Of the miner cannot be
questioned All elements that have the
fate of their union at heart have
been rallying together in the "Saye
the Union" committee, demanding the
organization Of the lost union fields
demanding a fighting policy which
would not be stopped by company
gunner and court iniunctions; de-
handing effective resistance to wage
cuts; demanding characterization of
the union which has become car
ridden and boss-ridden; demanding
the reinstatement of those elements
which were expelled merely for their
devotion to the interests of the rank
and file of the U. M. w. and whose
expulsion drains the union of its life
blood and its fighting spirit and de-
string the union struggle for such
larger aims as the naturalization of
the coal mines and the development
of Labor Party movement which
will make naturalization and the
abolition of labor injunctions two of
their cardinal demands.
Check Up Vote Count
The miners must also demand a
reckoning of the brazen election
steel just put thru by Mr.. Lewis.
Over month has passed since the
election and no tabulated returns
have been given out by the national
office. The opposition is defying
Lewis to give out a tabulated report
of the returns, local by local, and
Lewis does not dare comply with this
simple and elementary privilege of
every voting body to get full returns.
AIiscOunt Easy
1t is just as if the Tammany ma
chine in New York We're to announce
that its candidate had been elected
but were to refuse to give the vote
by election districts where watchers
had tabulated and would be able to
cheek up the honesty of the returns.
The mere fact that Lewis refuses to
give such a return is sufficient evil
dence that Brophy really carried the
election,
Members Pay
So that one of the fundamental
issues before this convention is the
issue of honesty in union administra-
ton; of the right of the rank and
file who pay the dues, who fight the
fights of the union and have built
it and who somehow manage to main
tail it despite neglect, treachery and
open hostility, to elect their own
officers and to remove from office
a self-perpetuating clique that have
neglected and even betrayed their
interests.
Finally, it is to be hoped that out
of the present convention comes,
along with a constructive program
and along with progress toward the
characterization of the union, the uni
flying on a permanent basis Of all
progressive forces, Of all honest
unionists who love the union which
to them has been and must again
become a shield for defense and a
weapon for the improvement Of the
condition Of the men who toll in the
,,ninar