The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-04-01
Fake Recognizing of U. NJ Why
Anti-Lewis Gang, Is New Swindle

by invitation to all, and several men,
bers of the N. M. U. came in. They
found about 275 miners there, mostly
from Staunton, but with delegates
from Johnson City, Belleville, and
Auburn, There were all reflections of
opinion from the most reactionary to
radical. Howat was there, and when
it appeared that he had held a pre-
lininary conference Of a few of his
henchmen in st. Louis, some one
wanted to know who was there.
HoWat refused to tell.
Adolph Germer, of the socialist
party, and formerly one of the Fish
wick ''reorganized" officials, spoke,
and it appeared that he had started
out with Howat, but that Lewis and
Fishwick had got to him." and he
was in the Staunton conference to
defend Lewis against Howat. How
ever, he got little support at Staun-
ton. Jack Glasco, a board member
from Belleville, spoke and he defended
the court decision by which Lewis
and Fisllwick united their forces and
divided the loot they take from the
miners. Daeck spoke for the new
HoWat move, and attacked Ffshwick
for his betrayal but, characteristic
of the whole Howat movement, made
no statement of program.
"Save Our Salaries"
The whole Howat campaign seems
to be an attempt of the old enemies
of Lewis whom Fishwick simply threw
overheard when he united forces once
more with Lewis. Howat used to
have a $4,000 a year job in the RE
organized" out of which he was re-
Gently jockeyed, and provision was
made for him or the other HoWatites
in the LeWis-F'ishwick bargain. Their
program is obviously one of building
some kind of organization now that
will give them paying Offices, and if
they can build it large enough, they
will be in position to do what Fish
wick did, force the international
Office to buy them out. The miners
have nothing to hope for from this
Howat movement. In fact, HoWat
| and his henchmen carefully follow
the line seen in Ameringer'S final is
sue of the Illinois Miner, they rave
about the wickedness of rejoining the
U. M. w. without a convention, and
they say it might be the best thing
to do, but the miners should decide
that is HoWat-Daeck-Keen ETC.,
should decide at a well controlled
convention.
The way is thus kept open for all
those leaders" so far left out in the
cold by the F1shwick-Lewis COW trade
to be bought up, and to force back
into the U. M. w. what rebellious
elements they can draw under their
control
A Militant Speaks.
After Glasco and Daeck had spoken,
Hersey of the N. M. U. grabbed the
floor and launched into an exposure
of the whole thing, and exposing
Howat's previous treacheries. Finally
the Howat steam roller got into ac-
ton and ruled him off the floor.
Later HoWat spoke, and said almost
nothing, not one word against Lewis,
no answer to Gerlner and Clasco.
Voisey of the N. M. U. then got the
floor through the ignorance of How
ats chairman, and did some more ex-
posing, and the chairman finally
arbitrarily adjourned the meeting to
shut him off. The HoWat group in
this small conference" is all that
support the new move for a "con-
vention" in st. Louis.
The miners who are simply herded
by Lewis and Fishwick into the U.
M. w. without their consent, because
of their bargain the U. M. w. has
with the operators, and who are rob-
bed through the check-off, are getting
wise to the whole thing. Many of
them will soon be joining the Ma
tional Miners Union, which is their
own union, and will lead them in
struggles to improve wages and con-