The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-10-22

dCllOH, is III line WIN Cne WnOl
machine.
Lewis had his appointed leaders
prefer charges against John F.
Sloan, opposition candidate for
President in the coming elections.
This would automatically bar Sloan
from Running against Lewis. And
at this time it is too late for any
one else to be placed on the ticket
in the fight against Lewis. Further
more, facts show that any other
candidate would meet the same fate.
Elections take place in the United
Mine Workers every two years.
Lewis therefore steals them every
two years. Each time he has had a
different method"
Some time ago, George Voyzey,
an Illinois coal miner was a candi-
date against Lewis. The elections
are held on December and the con-
stitution provides that the Inter
national executive board should
provide the local union with a re-
turn of the elections, no later than
January Is following the election.
The election was held years ago
and never report from Lewis.
Lewis claimed that the union did
not have enough money to issue
that report. Yes William Green,
then secretary of the union, report
ed that never before was the union
in such good financial situation.
A clear steal
Brophy Had Majority
The following election, John
Brophy was the candidate against
Lewis. Brophy got the majority vote,
but Lewis again stole the votes. In
non existent districts, Lewis received
as high as $4,000 votes.
In many of the local unions the
steal was clearly apparent. In local
811, Renton, Penna., the actual vote
was for Lewis and 100 for Brophy.
But the vote which Lewis reported
was 206 for Lewis and 10 for Bro
ply. Very simple. Add 20 in front
of the six for Lewis, and the result
in 206. Take the off of the l09
for Brophy and you have 10.
Two years later another election"
was held. This time the union was
in bad fix Mike Demchak miner
from the Anthracite was the candi-
date against Lewis. The ballots came
out and the name of Demchak was
missing. Don't get excited! Lewis
did not want to go through the
motions of stealing the election so
he just kept the name off of the
ballot. Another steal
This time Lewis wants to do
the same job in another way. They
will prefer charges against the can
didates and that will settle" the
matter so charges are placed against
Sloan.
Charges Dropped in Local
When these charges were first
taken up at a meeting in Danville,
Sloan was present and the charges
we're dropped. Now the Lewis lead
ers in Illinois are again pushing the
charges, The International Exec
utive Board will take them up at
the next meeting. That is what
Lewis says. This is case of steal
ing the election even before 1t is
started
Not only against Sloan was this
action taken. Oscar Guynn, candi-
date for president was visited
by q few of the appointed board
members and organizers. Guynn
was member of the union for
many years. For the last three or
four years he was in the U. 8.
Marines. Because of this, he was
reinstated into the union, without
paying for new card
But now that Oscar Guynn is
candidate for vice-president the
officials are trying to rule that he
cannot run for Office. The same old
trick. The same old gang. The same
old Lewis machine.
But II we go further back into
the history OF Lewis we find that
he was never elected president.
Lewis ran for office, but he never
got there. John P. White was the
president but resigned to take
government job. president
Hays became president. Lewis was
APPOINTED president. Then
Lewis's man Casey got busy. Hays
got sick" and had to get medical
care. There was no president and
the appointed president John
L. Lewis became president OF the
miners. After that he kept himself
In Office.
Since that time, most of the lead
ers of the various districts were not
even allowed to steal the votes. John
L. Lewis appointed them into office.
It's easier that way.
The coal miners-and other work
ers-in this country should call
halt to such dictatorship in the
trade union movement. Locals of
the United Mine Workers should
start mass movement of protest.
Resolutions should be passed in the
locals. These should be sent to other
locals and to John L. Lewis. Copies
should be sent to the press. Other
unions and individuals should be
asked to do the same. Let the
whole world know what Lewis Is
trying to do.