Evening star., 1939-07-13


tion ,oas only group refusing to
sign. Since then numerous in
dipidudl mines in that area haze
entered into contracts and union
has picketed others.
By the Associated Press
John l.. Lewis appealed to Attor-
ney General Murphy today for Fed
eral Intervention in the Harlan
County OKy) mine dispute. where
union miners and the Kentucky Ma
tional Guard clashed yesterday in
bloody gun battle.
Mr.. Lewis, head of the C.. I. 0. and
president of the United Mine Work.
ers, declared in a letter to the At
torney General that Gov. A. B.
Chandler was violating his oath and
prostituting the power of his State"
by using the National Guard as he
had.
While he did not make q direct
appeal for White House action, the
c. I. o. head also said in his letter
that "the President can act If he
is so disposed"
He declared Mr.. Roosevelt had
ample powers to protect the lives
and liberties" of citizens and that
Kentucky and Harlan County,
after all, are within the United
States"
22O Held Under Bond.
Meanwhile, in Harlan 220 union
miners arrested after battle with
National Guardsmen were held
under bonds totaling $235, ,000
George Titler, district secretary of
the United Mine Workers &C. I. o.
was held under $4,000 bond on
charges of sedition, forcible rebellion
and armed attack on Guardsman.
At the Capitol, the fatal shoot
ing of the miner, Dock Caldwell,
prompted Representative Hoffman,
Republican. of Michigan, to issue
a statement asserting that "the
major share of the responsibility"
for the affair devolved on Mr.. Lewis.
The miner lost his life, Repre-
sentative Hoffman charged, because
he attempted to follow the decree
of John L. Lewis that no one IN
Harlan County should work until he
had joined the United Mine Workers
of America"
In his letter to Attorney General
Murphy, MIR. Lewis charged that
Gov. Chandler was trying to exact
vengeance" on the United Mine
Workers Union because the union
opposed Gov. Chandler and sup
ported Senator Barkley in the con-
test for Mr.. Barkley's Senate seat in
1898.
Political Debt Charged.
The other reason, Mr.. Lewis said,
was that Gov. Chandler wanted Ito
repay a political debt to criminal
band of coal operators, whose previ-
GUS crimes are spread on the sworn
public records of three authoritative
governmental agencies"
Mr.. Lewis said in his letter:
I'm this senatorial primary
election, Chandler was defeated and
Senator Barkley reelected. The
mine workers opposed Chandler and
supported Barkley. They did so with
unanimity and enthusiasm, at the
request Of Franklin Delano Roose-
welt.
"They (the mine workers) are now
being shot, harried and incarcerated
by Happy Chandler. He pursues and
wounds them with the same ferocity
and lack of restraint that character
ize the habits of Dominican die
tator.
Says President Can Act.
IT submit, sir, that the law Is be-
ing violated by this politically disap-
pointed and angry Governor.
I'm the name of all the mine
workers of this Nation and millions
of other citizens, I inquire whether
you will move to abate this intoler-
able situation.
"You have statutes under which
you can proceed. You have facilities
at your disposal. In addition, the
President can act If he Is so dis
posed. The Republic has vested him
with ample powers to protect the
| lives and liberties Of It's citizens
Kentucky and Harlan County, sftez
al. are within the United States"