The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-07-10
RIOT STARTS AS
GANG HURLS LIE
ABOUT LEADERS
Pagan Shouted Down
in Neffs, o.
{ Special TO The Daily Worker
v1rr-ercrayTn%T l. n n

Ftll SBN EGhs "a, July S.-Re-
ports reaching the National Miners
Convention Arrangements Commit
tee. from the mining fields show
that the mass meetings called by
the Lewis machine, despite the
widest publicity and the bringing in
Of "big guns" as a special attrac-
ton. are a decided flop everywhere
The mass meetings were ar
ranged as part of the frenzied cam
paign and included terrorism. cut
ing off relief, breaking up Of pro-
gressive meetings and conferences.
which the reactionaries started fol-
owing the issuance of the call for
a new union by the rank and file.
A Fake Liberal"
A mass meeting at Neffs, Ohio, on
July Bird, was the opening of their
jcampaign in eastern Ohio. The con-
vention of this sub-district held
about the end Of May, with 43 To-
Gals out Of the 45 in existence Of
fieially represented, showed the
miners in this section practically I'M
animous against the Lewis gang
The Neffs miners were curious to
hear what the reactionaries had to
say, with the result that the hall was
packed TO capacity, with no stand
ing room left. Thomas Robson
vice-president of the Pennsylvania
State Federation of Labor, was the
S~st speaker. Knowing what he
was UP against, he steered clear of
any dangerous" subjects. No
reference ct all to the internal sit
uatioa in the United Mine Workers
Of America and the revolt of the
rank ard file. He confined himself
II an attack on the coal operators
srd The government, injunctions
use Of notice and state troopers
against the miners, etc.
The fireworks started when Pat
Fsgen, Of District 5, began to crate
Tho meeting had been going on
quite peacefully, and Pagan made
are mistake of assuming that he
col7'T ret away with his regular
stslff " He opened an attack on the
progressive forces, trying to peddle
go his customary lies about Pat
Trohev. Secretary of the Conven-
tinn Arrangements Committee. The
reeetine was Immediately in an up
raer "Shut up" YOU'RE a rotter
e." Down with the Lewis
Gao came from all over the hall
e'T-s-- continued for a few minutes
tSaAn the bulk of the audience walked
out Of the meeting en- masse.
sGrlv about 70 individuals re
niRined in the hall, including a few
rssorvessives, who stayed to see
Writ would happen, and a truekful
of ''huskies." obviously drunk, who
were brought in from the outside
before the meeting opened. After q
while. the few local reactionaries
rr+ into a wrangle about the relief"
distribution. T. seems that some of
them were getting only SO or 81
week while the more favored were
getting $50 and more.
Tho mass meeting at McGovern
FIELD Washington County, Pa, held
on Sunday, proved a similar failure
for the machine. The advance pub
LEFTY SPOKE of 10000 miners that
were going to attend it. But only
about geo miners showed up, at leas'
$50 of them. progressives. The
speakers. Robson, Phil Murray and
Pagan had nothing to say about
the strickland how the miners are
going to win it. Most Of their time
they gave to boosting Al Smith and
the democratic party. Again it was
Pagan who started to attack the
progressives. with the result that
the bulk of the audience demon.
stratively left the meeting.
Same Story.
Similar reports come from other
sections, showing that the mass OF
the miners are anxiously awaiting
the national convention in Septem.
Der and the organization Of a new
progressive miners union.
The Convention Arrangements
Committee appeals to all workers tC
help in making the national conven.
ton a success and the building of g
strong fighting miners union. The
uiners have been on strike for over
is months and are not in a position
at this time TO contribute the neces.
sary funds for organization work
mass meetings, agitation, and tc
bring the delegates to the conven
ton. The Arrangements Commit
tee calls upon the workers in all in
dustries to send donations to th'
Convention Arrangements Commit
tee, Room Ali, 119 Federal St., N
S., Pittsburgh, Pa.