The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-09-13
BY FRED GILLETTE.

SPRINGFIELD, ILL., (by maiD. -
Six-foot Nick Fontecchio, 200 pounds
of gangsteriSm written in his every
movement, his dark glance darting
to all, points of the compass, does
not appear misplaced in Hotel Le-
land, Springfield's ritziest hotel.
where John L. Lewis has his suite of
temporary Offices, beginning with
Room POI. Nick is clad in latest
style: expensive gray suit we'll press
ed, shoes shiny and necktie agleam,
his attire does not reveal what min
ers in the know - say about him
that this Lewis adviser has bumped
off at least two men.
Fontecchio and half dozen Lewis
bodyguards lolled in the carpeted
room talking things over. Miners
report that Springfield is suddenly
swarming with carloads of Lewis
gangsters. AS one of the Scotch
miners here told me, something is
brewing in the devils pot: that the
Lewis top committee is preparing a
desperate stand in the face of the
surging militancy evident through
out the Southern Illinois fields.
"Lewis is in Town"
I had just returned from the Uni
ted Mine Workers district headquar-
ters at Fourth and Monroe streets,
where gloom is as thick as pea soup.
John H. (Weepin' Johnnie) Walker
was out of the Office. I overheard
somebody say Lewis was in town-at
the Leland-and went over to try my
luck at getting an interview with
him.
For rumors are running up and
down this end of the coal fields that
Corey mine No. So, three miles north
west of Springfield "a highly me-
chanized Peabody nine-waS getting
ready to start up again: that Lewis
had ordered his corps Of high-class
thugs into the region to take care"
of the picket line which would be
on hand to keep the Lewis scabs from
entering the pit. Scouts for the min
ers report machine guns have been
placed in the bushes about Corey:
the same tactic used at Mulkeytown
on the giant cavaran entering Frank
lin County two weeks ago.
Phil Murray-With the Gold Charm
The polished husky at the door
with the gold charm on his watch
fob Git was Phil Murray, vice pres
ident of the UNIV, asked for my
credentials, suspicion written all over
his mug. He twisted upside down
and over the letter announcing was
making survey Of the coal fields.
Survey, Ell? Well, who told you
Lewis is here?" 1 learned it at the
district Office, told him. well" he
said, Lewis is at the Hotel Penn
sylvania in New York at this minute
You'll have to get your interview
with him there" Seeing my stay
here was to be brief, I asked him
some quick questions: what did the
U.M.WA. think about the strike, etc.
Fontecchio edged over.
"Hey'' he said, LET me look your
credentials" He inspected 1t care
fully.
INOb TUT 1ut OOOu Vi LCWlo
He pulled chair over and plump
ed it squarely between me and the
door. Somebody else closed the door.
You know" he said, 81 no think you
here for good of UNIV, you unner-
stand? What you want? What you
racket" The rest of the room turned
very silent. Fontecchio chewed his
cigar into a number of angles.
! explained again: survey. would
like to speak to Lewis. Labor Re-
Search. etc. II you want to you
might call up the Labor Research in
New York. they'd tell you who I
am, etc..
Fontecchio handed the credential
back. I asked Murray a few more
questions.
Hey" Fontecchio inquired again
several minutes afterward, "Who this
Labor Research, eh?" More explana-
tions. "Lotsa Communists fishin'
round, you mnerstand?" he said,
"Lotsa dem snoopin' round" He
leaned forward on his chair. Muir
ray tried to smooth things over. but
Fontecchio broke in, "Nothin' dom,
you understand. We got nothin' say
dis felier- Better hsah-sAH ~-ii~- Good
byS