The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-11-19
Misleaders in
the American
Labor Unions
BY WILLIAM z. FOSTER.

ed tool OF AL. Hamilton. Hamilton.
once a newspaper man, was a Slip
perry agent of the employers, and a
well-known center of labor corrup-
ton in Western Pennsylvania. He
was sinister figure there in the
life of the union, a sort of Mulhall
of the mining industry, and he de-
bauched many of the miners lead
ers. Hamilton died recently and
John l.. Lewis travelled 1000 miles
to attend his funeral.
Van A. Bittner, another tool of
AL. Hamilton's, was once president
of the Pittsburgh district and was
driven out for crookedness. One of
the most degenerate takers in the
entire history of the Miners Union,
and favorite agent of John L.
Lewis, he has betrayed strikes in
Kentucky, Alabama, West Virginia
Kansas, Nova ~. Tia, etc. He stands
first as the most contemplate reac-
tionary now on the payroll of the
U. M. w. A.
Complete List.
Typical of the traitors in every
mining district is the following list
of former Indiana U. M. w. A. lead
ers, as furnished US by union Of
ficial. Phila. Penna is now head of
big Indiana coal operators asso-
citation and leads its fight bitterly
against the union. ]. Boyle and w.
OConner, former district presidents,
are now coal company superintend-
ents. P. HI. Donnie, board member
Is also a coal company superintend-
ent. Typical also is a list from
Washington: M. j. Flyzik, former
president of the district, now has
good state government job. R. Har-
land, former president, is in the coal
business, j. Wallace, former district
secretary, became a commissioner
for the Washington Coal Operators
Association, J. Hutchinson, j. Nor
gan, E. Newsham went into the coal
business after getting out of their
union positions. Every district
shows numbers of similar takers re-
warded.
All the foregoing gentlemen
thoroughly "feathered their nests
at the expense of the miners. Most
OF them have become wealthy. 1t is
whole groups of such traitors that
have reduced the U. M. w. A. to its
present weakened condition. To the
above names could be added scores
of other betrayers of the miners,
the Cappellinis, Phil Murrays, Pa
gans, Goldens, ETC., who still hold
official positions in the union. They
are enriching themselves now and
by doing the work of the coal oper-
ators are preparing to graduate into
business and Political sinecures.
harrington.
Frank Harrington was until a few
months ago car of the 10000 BIZ
! luminous miners of District L., Hi
nois. With the full support of the
companies, he ruled with an iron
hand. He was willing tool in every
treason in his own district or in the
country at large. He is prominent
iaember of the republican party. His
whole administration was an assault
on the miners organization and their
Standards of living.
4 In 1919 widespread revolt took
place among District IL miners who
refused to suffer further his tyranny
add treachely. Harrington crushed
this upheaval with fire and sword,
appointing hundreds of Organizers"
to terrorize the men and entering
into agreement with the employers
to blacklist the outlaws" Earring
ton was the darling of the Illinois
operators. When he got married the
Peabody Coal Co. gave him a big
mahogany chest filled with table
silver. Harrington, grown rich from
graft of all kinds, has one beautiful
mansion in Springfield and another
in Indianapolis.
One Traitor Succeeds Another.
In the great national strike of the
miners in 1922, in which the very
life of the organization was at stake,
harrington, undoubtedly in collision
with the operators, tried to destroy
the movement by proposing to sign
a separate agreement for the ILL
ncis miners. Had he succeeded in
:, all likelihood it~would have broken
the strike and crippled the Miners
Union nationally. But the Progress
sive Miners Committee, following
the lead of the T. U. E. L., rallied
the miners so strongly against him
: in mass meetings and otherwise that
Harrington had to abandon his
treacherous scheme.
, John L. Lewis and Frank Earring
ton, jealous rivals, are bitter enc
mics. In famous exchange of let
tiers they accused each other of ac-
cepting brides from the employers.
Both were doubtless correct. Under
pressure Of the left wing in the
! union, however, they eventually
! patched up their differences and uni
ted their forces. But the vindictive
Lewis was merely awaiting favor
able opportunity to knife Earring
ton. He got the chance when proof
came to him of what the left wing
had been saying for years, that Far
rington was secretly on the payroll
I of tho onerators Toxu;s RI oot rid