Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-09
LEWIS AUTHORITY
TO RECEIVE TEST
Mine Officials of Three States
Declare Union Constitution
Has Expired.

BY the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, March 8.-John L. Lewis,
head of the United Mine Workers, faces
on March 10 another test of his author
ity, the latest of several during the
tumultous decade of his presidency.
On that day he will convene at In
dianapolis an international convention
to pass upon acceptance of challenge
by officials of the Illinois district, larg-
est division of the decimated ranks OF
union soft coal workers
At the same time, officials of Illinois,
Ohio. Kansas and Pennsylvania will
call to order in Springfield, Ill, a re-
organization convention. Ihey con-
tend the mine Union constitution ex-
pired last year and Lewis is without au-
thority.
Opposition from within the union is
not a new situation with the Sombre,
serious Lewis. who resembles Senator
Borah. In 10 years he has beaten on
at least three foes who arose to oust
him.
last Summer Lewis questioned the
Integrity of Harry Fishwick, president
of the Illinois miners, and other State
leaders, After an investigation, which,
Lewis said, found irregularities, he
summoned the Illinois chiefs to an In
dianapolis hearing. They refused ana
he revoked their charter set up pro-
yisional district and undertook to OBJ
tain control of district records and Of
fices. A court injunction stayed his
hand.
will Determine Enemies.
The Indianapolis convention, he de-
clared at an Indiana district conven-
ton, "is going to determine who are
loyal members and who enemies
From without, as well as within,
Lewis repeatedly has been attacked
since 1920, when he succeeded Frank
Hays as president of the miners. Com
lnunist agitators. seeking to bore into
the union, always found Lewis determ-
ination pointed against them. Efforts
of mine owners, in both soft and hard
coal fields, to lower wages steadily met
with opposition.
when President Harding in 1921 re-
minded the miners president that the
industrial readjustment OF that period
demanded that all workers take a wage
cut, Lewis disagreed and uttered the
slogan of mo backward STEP" which the
miners sounded during the next five
years.
Alexander Howat of Kansas disputed
Lewis authority and soon found him.
self on the outside. Frank Harrington,
Suave and diplomatic Illinois SpokeS-
man. also met defeat when he tested
Lewis power, and John Brophy, nervous
little leader in Pennsylvania, met a
similar fate.
Calls Harvard Graduate.
During the 1927 convention at In
dianapoliS, q young Harvard graduate,
Powers Hapgood, who had become
miner, sought to aSSail Lewis. Lewis
declared he was not member OF the
union During the verbal melee that
followed Lewis hurled this reply:
The chair is prepared to preserve
order. ANY one who thinks he can
abuse the privilege of the chair is a
fool"
Through all the difficulties of the first
six years of his tenure as President,
Lewis emerged with a solid central COM
petitive field behind him. But when
the shutdown of 1927 came the operators
of Illinois, Ohio, Indiana and Western
PennSylvania-the central competitive
f1eld-refused to negotiate as whit
From that stand they did not waver
and Lewis saw his force of active miners
dwindle.
Lewis, now in his flfty-first year, be-
came a union miner in 1903 when he
was humble coal worker at Panama,
jill. He later was an sorganizer and in
1917 was elected vice president.
During the costly strike of 1922 he
mortgaged his property to raise, with
other international officials, 100000 to
provide funds for striking miners and
their families. . ~