Evening star., 1936-07-07
Member of the Associated Press.
Steel and Politics.

Pennsylvania, Thomas Kennedy, secre-
tary-treasurer of the United Mine Work.
ers of America, has pledged the aid OF
the State government to workers in the
steel mills, if they should strike. It hap
pens that Mr. Kennedy is lieutenant gov
ernor of Pennsylvania as well as an off,
cial of the United Mine Workers. John
L. Lewis, president of the United Mine
Workers and head of the Industrial
Union Committee, is leading the fight
to organize the steel workers in one big
Industrial union, and the steel operators
are strongly opposing Lewis plan.
Here is the lieutenant governor of
Pennsylvania, in which some Of the
greatest steel mills of the country are
located, promising to align the govern
ment of the State on the side of the
steel workers in any contest they may
have with their employers. 1t is an in
Vitation to Strike-a remarkable invita-
ton coming from government ofacial.
Seemingly the lieutenant governor and
secretary y-treasurer of the United Mine
Workers, when he spoke, was very con-
fident that his chief, Governor Earle,
would fall in with his plans. Governor
Earle has indeed promptly Endorsed the
lieutenant's governors pledge.
Mr.. Lewis Is an ardent supporter OF
President Roosevelt for reelection. Pre-
sumably he would do great deal to
bring about the victory Of the President
at the polls next November. One Of his
aims is to bring all organized labor into
line for Roosevelt. Is it possible that
his fomenting of labor trouble in the
great steel industry, just at this time,
is a move to attain this end? The lieu
tenant governor Of Pennsylvania and
secretary treasurer of the United Mine
Workers is no less an ardent supporter
of the President and the New Deal than
is Mr.. Lewis. Governor Earle has be-
come New Deal firebrand.
Mr.. Kennedy made his promise Of
State relief to striking steel workers and
their families, If and when they strike,
at a mass meeting Of the steel workers
at Homestead, Pa. He said that the
drive for organization of the steel work.
ers was peaceful" but added that If
force were necessary it would be used.
The implications Of the present drive
by Lewis, Kennedy and others in the
steel industry seem clear enough. And
certainly If Mr.. Kennedy meant any
thing 1t was that the force Of govern
ment would be placed back of striking
workers. The Government, both State
and Federal, has in the past been on
the side of maintaining peace and
order and protecting lives in industrial
disorders. Government has intervened
frequently as mediator to effect settle.
ments of industrial contests. This is
the first time that government force has
been used as an invitation to strike. 1t
is something the American people may
well think about.
The mass meeting addressed by Mr..
Kennedy adopted q resolution which
seems to have been patterned in part
after the recent address delivered by
President Roosevelt when he accepted
the presidential nomination at Philadel-
phia. The resolution begins: "On July
Fourth, 1776, the American people de-
clared their independence of political
tyranny - but today we find the po-
litical liberty for which our forefathers
fought is made meaningless by economic
inequality new despotism has
come into existence" Mr. Roosevelt in
his speech made statements almost
identical.
The steel operators insist they will not
submit to having organizers-like John
L. Lewis-from outside come into their
plants and stir up dissension. They
argue again for the "open shop" on the
theory that no man should be compelled
to Join a labor union in order to get
Job. Whether theoretically they are right
or wrong has very little to do with the
political aspects Of this latest drive to
organize the steel workers.