The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-04-06
$4,000 Miners Now
Strike in Glen Alden
Rank and File Block
Strike Breaking
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE,


their line and the police smashed
that up, apparently just to show the
strikers that the Stars and Stripes
is the flag Of the employers and can
not protect any workers.
The National Miners Union today
and tomorrow will hold many or
ganizational meetings to prepare the
miners for a fight to the finish
against the companys program of
wage-cuts, no pay for dead work, in
creasing the hours and intolerable
conditions. The meetings will Or
ganize for the utmost resistance to
the sell-out policies of the General
Grievance Committee and the strike
breaking program of the district and
international u, M. W. officials.
Rank and file committees of the
miners on strike are being organized
for fight for the strikers demands
and against the misleadership Of Dis
trict President Boylan and the local
traitors who control the General
Grievance Committee.
Local Takers Meneuver.
T h Tomicheck Maloney Davis
group, which controls the General
Grievance Committee. have been
maneuvering for days TO call off the
strike in some such way as would
enable them to get good vote for
district office. They are running in
the district UNIV. elections against
the Boylan group. Beylan and the
international officers openly order
the strikers to go back to work and
throw themselves on the mercy Of
the company and negotiations of
grievances.
Last Tuesday the Grievance Com
mittee voted Al to 81 to remain on
strike, while appealing to Interna-
tional President Lewis to lead their
struggle, They voted to meet when
Lewis should answer, or on Saturday
at the latest, At the time, National
Miners Union members and the
rank and file opposition in the u.
M. w. locals pointed out that this
was trick, that the great majority
of the General Grievance Committee
was in control Of the local takers,
and that they did not dare directly
TO call off the strike because of the
mass sentiment of the miners to
continue it, but counted a vote which
they could change almost at mo-
ment's notice. when they thought it
expedient,
Lewis Tries to Break Strike.
Lewis answered Immediately by
wire and denounced the strike and
ordered the miners back TO work, to
the great indignation of the then
10000 strikers. The General Grie-
vance Committee, however, did not
meet until Saturday. Meanwhile
mass pieketing at the four remaining
mines Of the Glen Alden brought
terrific clashes with the police and
UP to Friday these mines were still
at work.
Saturday the committee met and
heard John Knetz plead With and
threaten the strikers in an attempt
to drive them back to work. Kmetz
blamed Red propaganda" for start
ing the strike, while the miners know
that the strike first started because
in one mine the operators simply
added an hours unpaid labor to the
daily task of part OF the miners,
Representatives of some locals at
mines which had been idle for four
months, and which support Beylan,
voted to go back to work.
The rank and file miners listening
in at the committee meeting contin-
ually interrupted Kmetz and those
voting to go back to work, kissing
and threatening those who were
openly trying to betray the strike.
The chairman several times in
structed the miners TO leave the hall,
but they refused to bulge, and con-
tinued their demonstrations against
their enemies.
When the vote was taken the
chairman announced a tie, so votes
to strike on and so TO end the strike,
with refraining. There is no doubt
that the militancy of the miners
alone prevented vote to return to
work,
When the vote was announced, the
indignant miners rushed the Gen.
eral Grievance Committee. broke up
the meeting and were ready TO throw
the betrayers out, Knaetz ana many
committee members who voted 10
breaw the strike fled down the fire
escape,
After the meeting was broken up
several committee members got to-
gether and decided to hold another
meeting Tuesday morning. strictly .
closed meeting for the General Gris-
vance Committee members. and no
rank and file members allowed In 1t,
Last Saturdays New York Times
reports that in the General Grie-
vance Committee meeting. reported
above. "A check by newspaper men
indicated that 81 votes were cast TO
remain on strike, 81 to return to
work and IL were not cast. The Sec
rotary, Andrew Sinnott. however. an
nounced that the vote was so to So"
-----------~
Perth Amboy Thing Co