The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-06-26
A. F. OF |. IS
ASSAILED IN
DRESSER BLAST
Charges Organization Has
Betrayed the Cause of
Suffering Miners.
HANDWRITING ON WALL
Novelist Declares Group
Should Be DiSbanded
for Common Good.

(Copyright. 1881. By The Tines
PITTSBURGH, June 6.-Theo-s
dore Dresser, the novelist, believes
the American Federation of Labor
should be disbanded, because there
is ample evidence it simply is a
closed corporation operated for
little groups" and is IN no way
benehting the suffering miners In
the coal fields Of this region.
Dresser, in a statement written
for the United Press, said that he
came into the coal regions here
because he is interested lin any
thing that looks to the diSeStab-
lishment Of the A. F. Of L., with
which the United Mine Workers OF
America is affiliated" accusing
these organizations of getting all
the money they can for themselves
at the expense Of all the rest OF
on-unionized labor"
He asserted he had positive
knowledge of proposal to put into
effect "a close union between the
chief corporations, such as power
and utility groups, and the A. F.
of L. to put a quietus insofar as
possible on strike and labor troubles
and bring about general poverty OF
the rest of the people"
Invasion Is Favored
The novelist favors the invasion
of the National Miners Union here
and said he has learned it proposes
to do what the A. F. of l.. never
did-"to open the door to all classes
and conditions of labor, even I'M
skilled workers"
Large corporations, he charged,
because OF a financial crash. are
aware of the fact that without some
form of labor assistance they are
virtually helpless, that that With
flake" associations they hope to
hold their own.
Dresser has made a personal
survey of the region here and after
visiting fifteen mines and talking
to more than a score of miners and
their families he said he has gained
the general impression that after
the prosperity the coal fields en-
joyed up to 1929, it is absolutely
disgusting and shameful that the
moment the lapse comes in pros
per1ty they resort to the methods
they have here and in other places
Throughout the United States" He
declared it was typical of the
nnancial and corporation powers of
America"
VIII Be Swept Away
Unless these corporate and hank
ing powers get some understanding
OF their position and what thev
owe the working class whose labor
makes possible their position" he
said, they are going to be swept
away and a new order will be es-
taolished. Mr.. Mellon to the con-
trary, notwithstanding, the hand
writing is on the wall"
Backers Of the present strike told
Dresser the United Mine Workers
OF America had been broken in this
field in 1927, and the miners were
left to shift for themselves under
conditions almost unbelievable and
for starvation wages.
In 1853 hours, he said, he had these
conditions reasserted to him bv
newspaper reports, personal visits
to ten mines and interviews with
twenty-five men and wives of both
Negro and white miners.
Uniformly from each person "a
he said, Il extracted a corroborated
story Of pay that insures a living
only a little above the starvation
and in some obviously a starvation
wage.
Marching Like Slaves
I learned how it is impossible to
get decent food or enjoy entertain
ment Of any kind. I found people
held in fact as well as in magma
ton, by the threat of losing their
property if they seek to leave to
make new start elsewhere.
SO far as 1 can see by the testi-
mony offered, the men are marching
IKE slaves. They we're discarded
by the .. M. w. Of A. and A. f. of
L. until the N. M. U. invaded the
neld when the United Mine Workers
TOOK hand again in the interest of
the corporations"
Dresser said he was curious to
learn whether the strikers had the
right to picket unmolested, whether
coal and iron police and deputy
snerlrts had right to interfere or
XIII them on proyocation.
2 Killed Without Raasor
10 gain this information he
talked with members of the No
tlonal Miners Union, the Civil Lib
critics Union and Sheriff Robert Y
Cain OF Allegheny county. From
tnen ne said he learned that az
cordlng to Governor Pinchot and
cam the men had every right 10
picket ROADS unmolested.
He then cited evidence contrary
10 the statements where he said
Two men were killed without reason
or provocation and some TWENTY-FIVE
were injured by shooting, beating
With clubs and striking with fists
not only by coal police, but by state
police.
Dresser then visited about fftaar
Workings where picketing was in
progress, he said, and the highways
leading TO the mines were heavily
guarded by deputies, mounted no.
nee, police on foot and In autonno-
biles. At one place, he said he
saw mounted police force the
strikers from the highway, although
the right of way was not being
blocked by them.
Water Works to Expand