The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-04-01
FISHW|CK Makes.
THREAT TO STOP
DELEGATES PAY
Battle Looms Between
Lewis and District II
By WILLIAM F. KRUSE.

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PEORIA, ILL.,, (By MaiD.-The
end Of the second day at the U. M.
w. A. District II convention showed
the Fishwick machine firmly seated
in the saddle and riding rough-shod
over the unorganized and largely
inarticulate opposition. Encouraged
by its success of the first day, when
n amendment to provide for roll
alls on 20 per cent instead of 80
ser cent of the delegates was de-
feated by vote of 241 to 172, the
machine forces proceeded to make
short work of the resolutions intro
duced by opposition locals.
The first resolution, aimed against
the official practice of maintaining
"blue sky" locals, sometimes for
years after the mines have been
closed, was the occasion of a lively
fight. Such resolutions were spon-
sored by Locals 900, 744, 1449, 247,
and 494, from Springfield, Harris
burg and Minonk.
Cases of Fraud.
Delegate after delegate got up
to show specific instances of "local
unions" existing for years after the
tipple had been burned down and
even the hole in the ground no
longer existed The reactionaraes
defended the maintenance of this
source of fake votes for the machine
by sentimental appeals in the name
of old members who had once been
miners and who would lose member
ship if the charters were taken up.
This unfounded claim and the legal
istic argument that only an inter
national convention could make such
rulings as demanded by the OPP
position resolutions, paved the way
for the defeat of the resolutions by
he convention which contained large
atches of "blue-sky" delegates.
Shout Lets Go Tome
The voting at the convention is a
rabulous proposition. There are
scores Of non-delegates and union
officials sitting among the men
elected by the local unions to repre-
sent the membership-and every
body seems to be voting. Time
after time the opposition delegates
protested and demanded a separ-
alton Of voting from non-voting
delegates, and always Fishwick
ruled them out of order. After a
particularly raw ruling against Joe
Goett, the opposition leader, sew
eral delegates raised the shout:
There's nothing here for us, let's
go home And Fishwick from the
platform replied, 'Keep quiet boys
or you won't get your pay" Every
delegate is supposed to get $500 a
day besides his fare.
The opposition to Fishwick is a
general one, but there is no unity
whatever among these clements for
any positive program. A consider
able section, and this the most artic-
ulate section, is reported to be not
merely anti-Fishwick, but pro
Lewis. The honest progressive ele-
mants thus far have failed to FIND
a leadership that will adequately ex-
press their opposition to Lewis as
well as Fishwick.
Report a Sales Talk.
The reports of Fishwick and Mes
bit, given on the afternoon of the
first day, might be divided into two
main parts; the first was sales talk
for Illinois coal as against Ken
lucky, the second was cussing the
Communists. Not 50 much as one
word did either give to the need OF
fighting the coal operators. MOI
was there a word as to new tactics
and demands made necessary by the
Introduction of machinery.
The union has lost heavily II
membership and has not lifted 6
finger to organize a single coal mine
anywhere, but it has organized or
big scale an "Illinois Coal Sales
Association" for the purpose of sell.