The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-01-20
Lewis Machine
Holds Up UNIV
Locals Funds
Dirty Scheme to Keep
Opposition from
Convention
By TOM MYFRSCoUGH

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - One OF the
dirtieSt "holdup" games ever prac-
tised by the takers of any A. F. of
L. union, is now seen in the attempt
Of the U. M. W a. officials to keep
opposition delegates away from the
International Convention, which is to
convent in Indianapolis, Ind, on Jan.
23rd
Previously. have mentioned my
suspicious OF this, but now it is OBJ
vious.
Trick To Keep Ont Delegates
In going about the Central Penna.
mine fields where I am at present
located, I have learned that the per
capita share for the local unions Of
the U. NJ. w. A. go per cent? has
been held up for the past two months
by the District office of the U. M. w.
A. in Clearheld, Pa. The excuse
given to the many local unions who
wrote in about it, was, as reported in
previous article, that the money
was secure in the possession of the
District Office, BUT-that It was sent
in by the coal companies in such a
tumbled-up manner, that the Dis
trict Office was unable to determine
which money was from which COM
pany. and for which local." and
declared it was impossible to send
each local its share until the afore-
mentioned difficulties could be
Strengthened out.
During the weekend Just passed I
visited in the Pittsburgh district and
learned that the same identical trick
is being played there.
It Is clear therefore that ii is a
deliberate act and not an accident.
And it is clearly for the purpose of
keeping out of the convention, all
delegates who do not guarantee be-
forehand that they are going to sup
port the crooked Lewis machine"
Lewis Collects Credentials
While this was going on in Somer-
set Co., made it my business to in
quire whether delegates were being
elected or not. In many places the
locals accepted the advice of the
machine" to apply for exoneration
and elect delegates, while they still
had time, in accordance with the con-
stitution. However, in some such
places all the company tools" were
ordered out to the election meeting
and some of our opposition candidates
we're defeated by close votes.
While asking the locals to get ex-
onerated from the duty Of sending
delegates" the officials were also ask
ing the locals, as also previously
described, to turn over to the District
the locals credentials so that the
district (the fskers) "could select
soemone to represent the local union
at the convention"
At one local (Jerome) 1 have the
word of the local president that they
permitted Organizer" Martin to in
duce them to add the name of Presi-
dent Jim Marks to the credentials
Of their own regurarly elected dele.
gates, with the assurance" that az
won't cost you anything extra" (Thi,
was done week after election ant
in violation of the Constitution No
Nothing Extra" Not Much! MOI
Now! But it viii cost all the miner;
plenty later on.
In one Pittsburgh district local, one
that has failed to get its per capita
share of the dues, the known opposi.
ton delegate has no money to go Il
the Convention, while the seconc
delegate from the same local. who il
regarded as a possible supporter o
Lewis, has been given check for ;
substantial amount of money for him
self to go to the Convention, whert
he might be given the chance to cal
the local unions votes.
The constitution provides for tn