The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1941-12-04
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Frank Parker StOckridge

| lie Enemy Number l., LneFe IS III
tie question that John L. Lewis
would win hands down. The most
notorious gangsters, the crooked
est politicians and the loudest
isolationists wouldn't h ave a
chance in competing with the
head of the mine workers for this
dubious honor.
| For Mr.. Lewis has gone further
than any of them would dare to
90: he has openly and boastfully
"slapped the face" of the Presi-
dent of the United States; he has
declared war on our government;
and he has acted without regard
to overwhelming public opinion
against his stand. For the month
of November, he certainly de-
serves the distinguished service
award for the American who has
done most for Hitler.
fl were a member of union
I would, for my own good as well
as for the good Of my country,
want to sever all relations with
Mr.. Lewis.
Knowing that public opinion,
congress and the President are
the factors which make democrat
CIV, would not want to be tied
IN with a revolutionist who writes
to the President that he won't
listen to an umpire because one
could not be found "whose de-
cisions decision would not reflect
your Interpretation of government
policy, congressional attitude and
public opinion"
In other words, MIR. Lewis Will
only listen to an umpire who will
say, Everybody else is wrong
but you'll"
MINERS grate1ul
If a group Of coal miners were
asked to vote on the American
who has done the most for them,
thew would undoubtedly cast an
overwhelming vote for the very
same Mr.. Lewis who has recently
plummeted himself into the posi-
ton of Public Enemy Number l.
There is no doubt that Mr.. Lew
is, over a period of many years,
has done a remarkable job in I'M
proving the lot of coal miners.
He is primarily responsible for
getting them shorter hours, bet
ter paw and more tOlerable work
ing conditions.
For the miners suddenly to turn
against a man who has spent
most of his life working for their
interests would, in ordinary times,
be most ungrateful act. They
have long respected him for his
honesty, his fearlessness and his
unshakable determination to help
them.
But when the whole American
wav of life is threatened, and Mr..
Lewis used that fact to force them
to choose between being, patriotic
to America or to himself, there
is only one decision to make.
DICTATOR Impotence
The first time saw John l.. Le-
wis, Just after he had been made
president of the c. I. o., l re-
member being struck with the
frightening thought: Some DAY
he is going to be President Of the
United States"
The idea frightened me be-
cause it was obvious that he was
not the kind of man who could
tolerate the democratic processes
of government.
But he was obviously force
full leader, a man who knew just
what he wanted and who seemed
destined to shove aside all obsta-
cles in obtaining his goals. In ad-
dition, labor was a more organ
| lied force than it ever had been
in this country beforehand Ia
Dor was all behind John L. Lewis.
But it was Mr.. Lewis lmpa-
tience with the democratic pro
cess which caused his downfall.
He wanted changes to be MADE
faster than they can be made IN
democracy. He wanted them
made without regard to pubic
; opinion and without regard to his
country's welfare.
Americans have been looking
for someone to blame whenever
anything goes wrong with our de-
Tense program. Now they have
| found their man.
HITLER lesson
When German troops first
marched into Poland most Amerl-
cans blamed Hitler. We felt that
the German people couldn't want
another war, that the German
people were nice people who were
being forced to fight.
But as the war continued and
the Germans remained loyal to
Hitler, we gradually began to
feel almost as much hate for them
as for Hitler himself.