The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1939-05-04
LET JOHN L. LEWIS CLIO.
KEEP THE IDLE MINERS
NOT THE TAXPAYERS


ed Mine Workers are trying to becloud
the issue when they demand that the
different states and the Federal Gov
eminent give the idle miners general
relief and unemployment compensa-
ton insurance while they are not
working.
The mine workers pay so much each
month to State and National officers
of the c. l. o. and have done so for 20
these many years, for just such emer-
gencies as now exist. 1t has always
been understood that the dues thus
paid were to take care of them when
they were called away from their
work. And now, when they are away,
the union officials keep the dues and
demand that the Government keep the
miners.
The State or Federal Government
has no right to distribute taxpayers
money to people who are idle when it
is possible for them to work. They
have jobs waiting for them, but they
won't work because John L. Lewis
tells them not to. Let John L. Lewis
contribute out of his reputed wealth
of more than a million dollars, to keep
the miners, then.
The miners were satisfied with the
wages being offered by the mine oper-
ators. The only thing holding up the
Appalachian miners contract is John
L. Lewis, who wants the right to strike
when there is no reason for it and not
be penalized. He also demands that
every miner who works for the Appa-
lachian operators be a member of the
CLIO, just so that more dues will come
monthly to his Golfers.
Organized labor is commendable
when regulated in proper manner.
1t is certainly getting out of bounds
now, with John L. Lewis trying to be
more of dictator to the people of this
country than Adolf Hitler is to the
people of Germany. People of this ma
ton ought to arouse themselves
against any such movement and
against any such principle. ,.y;>
The coal business is almost to zero
and is affecting railroads and business
in general-and only because John L..
Lewis wants something that other la
Dor unions see no reason for having.
And he demands that business men
and railroads, whose businesses are
decreasing in volume, pay taxes to
feed the miners while they remain
idle.
An editorial in the Times Record,
Spencer, w. Va, asks very pertinent
question in this respect: "Where is the
$7,200,000 collected by Pied Piper
John L. Lewis ?" The editorial follows:
eve mine no coal in Roane county
and have no special interest to serve
when we suggest an accounting of the
monies extracted from the miners OF
West Virginia wherein they have
membership. 1t is timely to make this
inquiry now when the professional and
provisional officers of the mine union,
appointees of John L. Lewis, are SEEK
ing to divert the public revenue to the
support of 100000 miners who have
been forced into idleness without even
their own consent. '.' =
"The mine union collected a dollar
per month from each miner in West
Virginia. 1t is deducted over the mine
payroll. Only Is cents is permitted to
remain in the treasury of the local
mine union; 35 cents goes to the State
organization, and so cents to the Mar
tional union. The total is not difficult
to compute. The 100000 miners pay
100000 month, or 81 100000 year.
In six years they will pay $7,200,000.
Half of that sum, or $3,600,000 goes to
the Lewis union. In addition since the
advent of the CLIO the miners of West
Virginia have paid three extra assess
ments of $1.00 each, or another 49,
100000. That means John l.. Lewis
has collected $7,200,000 for National
purposes. What became of the money?
We should think the miners of this
State would force an accounting.
"The miners Of West Virginia have
been made the goats for the Go They
have been MIXED regularly to support