The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-01-26

the text, the letter relates 10 me
efforts which the Workers Com
mumsr Party and others have been
and are making TO establish united
Trent OF all forces Gaming working
v'eiass character, Tor me complete
support OF the striking and locAed-
Gus coal miners, both of the United
Mine v 0rkers in pennsylvania,
Ohio and West Virginia, and Of the
Colorado coal iIel0s, where the /.
W. W. is the union inyCWed IN the
s,ruggle.
Editor. DAILY WORkkR:
At the very outset wish to en-
phaslze that soIely am responsible
lur me statements con.alneu peloy,.
i say this 50 that there Will Ue I4O
luea that amy ConmiLrea IS lauicnms
AL attack against Certaln PERSONAL
tiles. Fur ,het, / am no longer con-
neeted VITA the committee So l AM
Tree TO sLate certain lnlngs concern
ing the behavior OF cer,a4n 'puVllc-
spli.ed" personalities Mnen tney
were asked TO assist IN renef wor-.
and the creation OF untted IrOnC
committee Tor the COLORADO miners.
lhe Colorado slr.ke was III Iull
SWING during the carry part OF NO
yelnDIr and sim no CIIec-lve reIIeI
committee had been formed. The only
committee was nDeral committee On
Fifth Avenue VINO were appealing tor
the strikers OF Pennsylvania, OHIO
and, as an afterthoughI, Colorado. An
/. w. W. Committee was coIecUlng
money for Colorado. Some of US felt
that the liberal committee was Ell
fective for soliciting money from the
liberals, but that a new committee
was needed to work among the trade
unions and the workers in general.
Cali Conference.
With this thought IN mind a call
was sent by cer.ain preacher who
came from Colorado urging all trade
anfons and radical parties TO send
delegates to conference. Among
the organizations appealed to was the
[. w. W, the Workers Party, League
for Industrial Democracy, american
Civil Liberties Umon, and others. The
date set for the conference was No.
vember 10Th. AT the same time d
mass meeting was arranged in Union
Square to protest against the Col
uHlbine Massacre. With these two I'M
dertakings IN view l was sent to get
the SPEAKERS and see II the delegates
would be sent TO the conference from
the organizations invited. Together
with Max hose OF the /. W. w. / went
about~my TASK.
Having heard great deal of the
generosity and pub.ic-spiriJ Of Nor
man Thomas, ne was the first | went
to see. Being absent, DR.. Ladder told
me that Thomas would write me- A
day passed and received the follow
ing letter:
MY dear Mir. Myers:
u have told DR.. Ladder that /
vigorously object to the formation
Of a special committee on the Colo
RADIO situation-at least 10 the L.
l. DIS Ueague for Industrial
Democracy-iId) taking part iii it.
The l.. |. ID. helped to found and
back the Emergency Committee for
Strikers Relief. THIS cUmnlittee
viii, according to its best judg-
ment, distribute the funds il raises
III different mine areas-emphatic-
ally including Colorado. II must
De assured that relief can and viii
be administered in Colorado and
that the funds will be used for the
purposes designated. TO this end
Miss Paxton has already made
careful inquiry. Empkatically, the
l.. |. ID. cannot help TO create or
support a committee which dupli-
Gates in some measure work which
a committee of its own organization
is doing. say this with the utmost
eagerness to see the proper relief
given to Colorado.
Sincerely yours,
(Signed) Norman Thomas"
This letter was written on the sta
'tionery of the League for Industrial
Democracy. | did not know then that
similar letters were written to prom
inent liberals. The next day some
one in, his office 'phoned and left a
message that Thomas would CO.
operate in any way except TO raise
funds
I knowing that Thomas had spoken
for us month ago called up, re-
peated the message and asked him if
he would speak at the mass meeting
in Union Square. Instead of answer
ing, he growled and hung up. Imagine