The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-03-24
LEWIS PLEDGES TO BETRAY
ANTHRACITE MINERS

some cases more, increase in hours for the
miners. This decision of Umpire German will
be put into effect after Sept. LIST, $780, The
coal companies don't dare risk its application
now because of its possible effects on the
miners.
While Lewis approves of lessening the cost
of production, but without decreasing the
wages of the miners"-Lewis deliberately
closes his eyes to facts. He knows that the
wages of miners have and are being reduced
by the companies and he also knows that the
operators don't always reduce wages by giving
a direct cut but by adding on one car to the
production of the miners, or by refusing to
pay for all dead work. Lewis role is to help
the cost of production of anthracite coal be
reduced and therefore his ''blindness" is easily
explainable.
Bosses Agree With Lewis.
The very same day that Lewis made his
speech, Mr.. Suender of the Madeira Coal
Co. made a speech before the Chamber of
Commerce in which he said: "There must not be
any more strikes. In my humble Judgment
there will be no more strikes" Mr.. Suender
is expressing a wish, but neither Suenders
wishes or hopes, nor Lewis betrayas can do
away with the existence of the class struggle.
The class struggle RACES in the anthracite
with the same stark brutality that it does
ger profits is daily colliding with the miners
firm determination that their wages, hours,
and working conditions shall not be reduced
or worsened In spite of all of the U. NJ. W.
AS attempts to outlaw strikes, many have
occurred since the beginning of the year; and
sharper ones loom ahead.
Lewis open speech of betrayal of the min
ers' interests creates a wider field for indie
pendent activity on the part of the N.M.U.
than ever before. First Of all, in spite of the
fact that conditions are still relatively better,
and wages much higher than those of the
soft coal miners-the hard-coal miners are re-
sisting and will resist even more sharply all
attempts to smash their standards of wages,
hours and working conditions. (2) The U. M.
W. A. has declared its policy of sell-out. 1t
remains for the N. NJ. U. to bring home this
lesson to the mass of miners. (3) The re-
sponsibility for openly mobilizing the hard
coal miners for a general strike falls on the
shoulders of the NM.U. The N.M.U. will
have to take up the fight for the interests of
the anthracite miners. All grievances, and all
local strikes must find champion in the n
NJ. U. The N. NJ. U. must endeavor to lead
these local strikes, spread them, and fight for
the interests of the miners.
Tasks of n. NJ. U.
Inc N. NJ. Y. must undertake real and
serious organizational campaign to establish
itself as a factor amongst the masses of min
ers in the anthracite The MINUS base is a
very narrow one at present. The NMU
must base its entire strategy for the develop
ment of a general strike in Sept. 1880, on the
development of the struggle here. Unless this
is actually done, the slogan of a general strike
will remain merely a propaganda slogan. The
organzational basis must be developed and
prepared now
The N. NJ U. must definitely decide to issue
the strike call for the anthracite region in its
own name. This question cannot be left hang
ing in the air until the last moment The N.
NJ. U. must come forward with a whole series
of immediate demands, and the fact that this
has not BEEN done to date deserves the sharp
est criticism.
The Muste-Fishwick movement will undoubt-
eddy attempt to enter the anthracite coal
fields. They must be exposed right now, as
agents of the Peabody Coal Co., and as enemies
of the miners.
While the sharpest outlook must be adopted
insofar as right errors are concerned and ten
denotes to yield before the difficulties here;
yet the N.M.U. and the Party must begin to
guard against left phrase-mongering
The situation is a developing favorable one.
With great increase in the number of lay
offs within the last few weeks, the NMU. and
Party must seriously undertake the fight
against the menace of unemployment and for
unemployment relief. The N.M.U. must also
develop a fight against the increase in the
number of mine accidents and deaths since
the first Of the year. There are sufficient
issues on which to fight-in the interests of
the masses of hard-coal miners The only
thing that remains is for us to go out and
develop it.