The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-01-26
FLAYS
CONGRESSMAN
AS TRAITOR
Miners President Slabs at
Foes in Attack on
Ex-0ffiCial.
ANTI-NRA MOVE LOSES
Resolution UNFOLDING Right
to Strike Is Tabled
at Convention.


Traitor. ne ran away and left
District Il in that mess. I don't
know what his record is in congress.
bur l know what his record is IN the
United Mine Workers"
With this vitrOlic attack. John L.
Lewis. president or the United Mine
Workers Of America, stabbed deep
at his foes IN the Illinois coal
fields with a verbal onslaught today
against Congressman Walter Mes
bit Of Belleville. Ill. former secre-
tary-treaSurer of the Illinois district.
But before dealing this blow at
anti-administratiOn forces, a reso-
luton upholding the right TO strike
under NRA suffered at the hands of
pro-Lewis forces and the resolution
was tabled without dissent and in
the rubber-Stamp manner of many
resolutions in which conflict on the
convention floor was seen.
Mr.. Lewis stepped out of the cloak
of chairman to attack Congressman
Nesbit on a resolution demanding
the accounting of funds in District
II, Illinois.
Congressman Is Condemned
He declared that the district
showed $4,000 in Indebtedness
and that conditions we're in ter
rible shape"
And the gentleman mentioned
in a previous resolution is the man
who ran away from this mess" de-
clared Mr.. Lewis.
The previous resolution" was the
adoption of a resolution condemn
ing Congressman Nesbit for sup
porting a dual movement in Illinois
and terming him "disloyal."
District lbs affairs now are in
the hands of the international
union and Mr. Lewis said an &C
counting of funds would be made
when debts were liquidated.
Cheers gathered into a wave of
tribute as Mr.. Lewis concluded his
extempOraneous talk.
Fight U. $. Control Of Union
The convention approved resolu-
lions favOring government owner
ship Of the coal mines but lodged
any resolution that carried with it
a tinge of bringing the union itself
under the governments wing.
We don't want our union run by
the government-it's the mines,
shouted one delegate.
he
of water power projects and the
Tennessee valley power district
under President Roosevelt and Sec
rotary of Interior Harold IckeS came
in the afternoons meeting when c.
B. HuntresS. secretary of the Ma
tionsl Coal Association. spoke to the
miners. He was the first representa-
tive Of operators to speak before the
convention.
In speaking of water power de-
valopment he said. IF that be prog
ress. we are headed for fall Now
is time for every mine owner and
operator to pull together
Have Common Foes"
Received with courteous cheers.
Mr.. HuntreSs sounded the unions
own voting of resolution declaring
against Hitlerism and dictatorship
with. You don't want chaos. law
lesSneSs. facism. civil war. which
means communism"
Extending the olive branch. the
representative of the operators con-
Guided with. The operators are
lined at your side. on your side.
We're on the same. We're both
angry. not at each other, but at
common foes"
The convention voted the recon-
mendation that all states pay flat
rate of Sl675 in compensation cases
involving union miners.
Unemployment Insurance Favored
Continuance of attempts by inter
national officers to free union min
ers imprisoned in Bloody" Harlan
county. Kentucky. rioting was APP
proved in anther resolution.
Control of mining machinery with
a tax placed on labor-saving devices
was voted in another resolution in
troduced by Local 1719, Coaldale,
Pa
Unemployment insurance took
many minutes of floor debate with
the approval of the resolution COM
mittee's report 10 continue the
fight for the insurance on con-
greSs and the states"
The convention Will adjourn at 5
D. m. today until Monday, when
William Green. president Of the
American Federation of Labor. will
speak al the opening session.