The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-10-13
The Growing Revolt of the Illinois
Miners

Practically all the resolutions dealt with the
question OF unemployment and demanding the
enactment of unemployment insurance and old
age pension.
Those resolutions indicate the growing dis
content and rehabilitation of the miners of Il
inois and that the miners are beginning to
realize that their worst enemies are the fascist
and social fascist officials of the union. Ray
Edmundson, who headed the so-oalled rank and
file movement, no longer has the same support
as a few months ago because it has become
clear to the miners, as some of his supporters
stated during the caucus meeting of the con-
vention that this rank and file movement" of
Edmundson's was sanctioned by Lewis and also
supported by Lewis for the purpose of winning
radical miners away from the N. M. U. into sup
port of the Lewis machine in Illinois. About
this Edmundson movement the resolution of
local unions states: Whereas, in Illinois the
so-called Rank and File movement Of recent
origin proved itself incapable Of leading the
miners into struggle betraying the Orient strike
and proving its policies do not fit into the pres
ent situation"
For Real leadership.
More than any time before there is a need
OF Independent leadership of the miners in Him
OILS in struggle against ever worsenng conditions
in the mines, speed-up, stagger system and I'M
employment and against officialdom of the u
M. W. A. Of all factions Lewis, Walker Edmund
son. etc. Such leadership can be given only
by the National Miners Union and developed by
applying a united front from below, uniting
miners in the local unions and mines on the
basis of immediate concrete demands and issues
uniting membership of the NM.U. with U.M.W.A
into the local Miners Unity Committees Of
Action.
statement of the N. M. u, submitted to the
delegates OF this convention, stated: "To develop
an independent leadership of the miners headed
by the Unity Committee Of Action, who are
composed Of rank and file miners and Of the
National Miners Union, and to sever relations
with both the district and international organ
izations of the II. NJ w. A., be 1t of Lewis
Walker, Edmundson, Watt or any other mis-
leaders and takers. To cease payment Of dues
to any district, national organization or frac-
ton of the U. M. w. A.. and to keep dues In the
local unions and work for affiliation Of the local
unions with the National Miners Union"
From the report submitted to the convention
by the Secretary Treasurer of District II Of the
U. M w. A., Walter Nesbit we see that the
membership in District IL has been dropped
from $685. in 1923 to 41,472 in 1880 of which
only 26953 have been employed in the mines
In other words the majority of the miners in
the last few years have been disemployed in the
mining industry and, therefore, have been driven
away tens of thousands who remain are on the
point of starvation and there are already cases
of deaths from starvation in the coal fields But
there is no starvation in the officials families
of the U. M. w. A. The financial report sub
mtted by faker Nesbit shows that the up-keep
Of the bunch of takers costs miners approx
natelx n 100000 . year, w.