The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-10-21
By VINCENT KAMENovICH

Martin Ryan, together with five To-
cal leaders of miners Of the H. G.
Prick Coke Company, attended a
conference of miners held at Browns
vile, Pa, Saturday, Oct. IA, to dis
cuss the course of the coal strike of
10000 miners in the captive mines.
The local leaders with Ryan, all of
whom arrived after the conference
began, came from Colonial Mine No.
l. Smock Mine, and Grindstone
Mines and 4. Ryan is the presi-
dent of the U.MWA. local of Grind
stone No. 3.
I reported as follows at this con-
ference:
The strike is tremendously weak
ened due to the U.M.W.A. district
and local machines driving the min
ers back to work They were sue
cessful in this splitting tactic of
driving back the miners in the COM
mercial mines due to lack of an or
gained left wing in the U.M.W.A.
with program and centralized lead
ership (strike committee). I spoke
also on the question of the present
agreement and what it means. Ryan
press abandoning mass picketing and
marches; endorsing the Lewis leader
ship at the Friday conference held in
Uniontown. The role of the ,NMU. as
the only unifying force was brought
out. The NMU. policy during the
entire strike was in support of the
strike, ON the picket lines, strike pro
gam, proposals, etc
Ryan Speaks
Ryan took the floor after me. He
attacked the U.M.WA. machine;
gave concrete examples of bstrayals
in 1929, since 1922 and in this
strike. lie stated that Lewis selects
delegates to the International con-
venticns. H agreed that the present
agreement is rott2n, and that if the
agreement was Signed tomorrow for
the coke rsgion miners, not one
miner would so hack to work until
a rank and file convention was held
where the agreement would be rati-
fed. And If the majority was against
the agreement, or certain points in
the agra sment, the miners would not
go back until the companies agreed
to these demands as proposed by the
rank and file. Ryan said he would
fight for these methods in the u. M.
WA. Until established. On the ques-
ton of abandoning the mass picket
ing, and the marching, ne stated
that they can not move their pickets
any mora due to lack of funds. Their
local is 81 800 in debt for gas and oil.
They used to send 10 or Is trucks
and $50 cars who were away for
days, and over $50 miles from home.
The other locals are in the same
position.
Up to now, he claimed, state troop
ers went along with these columns
to protect them against deputies.
Now Pinchot refuses to do this any
more, and if they continue to send
their men on the marches the whole
force of the Friok and other coal
companies will be centered on these
small caravans.
Shippers have attacked them before.
Attempts to blow up trucks and cars
WHY dynamite bombs were made,
and if they could send large cara
vans they could continue, and arm
the men. Without arming the men
and sending them in large caravans
il is suicide
However, if any local needs help
to picket let them know in the day
time; they will come, especially if
they get some gas money. If any
local wants to help them picket they
are welcome to do SO. If they bring
1000 picketS the minars will take
care of them with food. but not gas,
and they should come in daylight,
else the coke region miners may
shoot at them, as armed thugs of the
coal companies are continuously
roaming round, shooting at the
pickets and throwing dynamite
bombs.
No Un0rganized Retreat
He is willing to do anything to
help to win the strike, and if the
coke region does go back under a
UM.W.A. agreement they will not
y go back as in 1922 in 'norganized
manner. They will ret a their To-
Gals; will have election of district
leadership.
He was the chairman of the Union
town meeting and did not make a
motion endorsing Lewis and the In
ternational leadership. They could
not hold the elections at that meet
ing. 1t would not have been in ac-
cordance with the constitution and
would have been another Kansas.
This is what Lewis and Prick want
Ito split the coke region miners, re-
organize their locals and force upon
the locals leadership controlled by
the Lewis-F eeney machine. We can't
Il anvil MA NJ IN
would not have the necessary support
from Districts 2, and 5, he said.
Lewis and the whole machine are
afraid Of the coke region miners be-
coming part of the UMW.A. be-
cause they know that the coke region
miners will not stop fighting them,
and this group Of $4,000 miners is
mere important than Kansas ever
was.
He agreed that the N.M.U. has fol-
lowed good line in not splitting
the ranks and giving the policies
through its leaflets and local forces.
He also agreed with my statement
that many locals would be already
expelled and probably the whole coke
region but for the fear on the part
of the takers that all these locals
would immediately affiliate with the
NMu. Also, he stated, the agree
ments made, as rotten as they are.
would have been worse but for tho
same fear. He stated that any man,
regardless Of whether he is an N.M.U.
member or belongs to any other
union, is welcome on the picket line
or at his local.
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