Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-04-02
LEWIS HAS FOUGHT STEADILY
AGAINST CUT IN MINE WAGES
Bulky President Was Coal
Digger at Panama, ILL.,,
Back in 1908.
Maintains Silence During
Crises in Union Affairs.
Fights Reds.
By the Associated Press.

| By the Associated Press
INDIANAPOLIS, April I'm all
episodes of the economic struggle be.
tween coal mine operators and their
unionized employees during the last
decade there has stood out the beetle
browed Jeffersonian of labor circles,
John Lewellyn Lewis.
Who is this bulky president of the
United Mine Workers, who bears
striking resemblance to Senator VIII
liam Borah?
His antagonists In operating circles
call him selfish union leader, with
no concern for economic factors, so
long as the miners wage can be kept
high. Enemies in the ranks of the
United Mine Workers allude to him
as a Gear"
Believe I'm Honesty.
But Lewis followers believe in his
honesty, integrity and sincerity. They
give him credit for raising the social
status of the men who dig in the
earth for it's chief supply of fuel.
Lewis has been called the union
Jefferson" because of his strict ad-
herenCe to the constitution or the
miners and his insistence that miners
and operators stand by their con-
tracts. On several occasions he mas
suspended local unions AND even dis
tricts> because they disreserded work
ing contracts. His denunciations of
coal companies that abrogated the
Jacksonville agreement of 1874 were
always bitter and scathing.
He Shuns Publicity.
Although his imposing figure, ms
somber personality and his strong
self-trained voice lend q colorful pres
ence to Lewis, he shuns pupncliy.
Seldom does he permit hinsell 70 nc
Interviewed Always during crises In
mine affairs he cloaks himself IN
silence. leaving the reception OF news
paper men to Ellis Searles, editor Oh
the Mine Workers Journal and TOT
mer indianapolis newspaper man.
Lewis has been as relentless IN MS
warfare on rival mine leaders wnoIii
he believed to be trying to folst spur
Gus doctrines and policies upon tne
organization as he has been aoaIilan =.
regarding wages and WORKING coiiuA
lions for his followers.
Alexander Howat, the merry hal 1:'eI'
Frank Harrington, suave and dipio-
matte. and John Brophy, nervously en-
eY-gefic- challenged Lewis autnorl.y'
hut their lances all crumbled upon lne
solid shield. Of the administrator ma
io,itv Lewis persistcntly has refused
IN let his organization espouse CoIl-
,,,,risr, He stood with Samuel Com
nars for several years in beating pack
..r,ad" attacks on the American feu-
Grafton of Labor.
Refused Wage Cuts.
Opponents of Lewis have conteiueu
he used his Office to strengthen nls
own grasp on the organizatioii o.
fairs. They accused MN Oh spe.u;s
,nion money to pack" conventions
and NJ naming organizers solely be-
cause of their loyalty to him.
The miners president since the war
has refused to approve any reduc-
ton in wages. 1t Is his contention
that wage cut will result in lowered
sta ndards of living, demoralizatlon
and eventual weakened productivity
IF fine coal diggers. In his champion.
ing of that principle Lewis was poia
enough to challenge President HARD
ing. That incident occurred during
the 1922 coal strike. Mr.. Harding
said to Lewis. after reminding MN
that ali industry was undergoing
readiustment, Don't you know that
the miners will have to take lower
wager" -, -
Il know nothing Of the kind, Mr..
President" was Lewis reply. Ana
the miners didn't take wage cut,
nor have. they taken any since, al.
though they have had to suspend
work three times In bituminous fields.
Was Coal Digger.
Lewis was a coal digger at Panama.
Ill. in 1908 when he actively entered
union circles. Work as a legislative
representative fitted him for the duty
of a union organizer. Then he was
elected vice president In 1917, and