Evening star., 1941-08-24
Lewis Keeps Silent
0n Rumors That He
ss
will Seek Comeback
Reports Says Miners
Union Chief Plans to
Regain c. |. O. Presidency
BY THOMAS r. CONAN.


ing overlooking a shady park on the
edge OF downtown Washington, the
currents Of gossip and rumor con-
tinue to swirl around the bulky
sngure Of labor leader John L. Lewis,
whose past made labor history,
whose future is his secret.
. Almost any day-if you want the
s'inside dope" on the man some
people thought was washed up when
he guessed wrong on the 1910 preSi-
dental election-you can hear:
That he is making comeback on
the public stage and will grab the
&c. I. o. leadership away from Philip
Murray; that he will form a third
political party; that he will engineer
q coup to unite the divided labor
movement under his command, or
that he may hire three radio chains
again to tell the Roosevelt admins
tration where to ge, of.
! That's how easy it is to learn
w. is in the back OF the graylng
head of the man who has ruled the
United Mine Workers Union since
1920, who revolutionized the labor
movement with C. I. O., tossed more
than s500,0OO into a political cam
paign. Is credited with twice turning
down a cabinet post, and lives con-
servatively in an old Virginia house.
Strategic Silence.
! For years Mr.. Lewis has been a
magnet for gossip and rumor as
well as an object of great affections
and great hates.
He listens to the stream Of gossip
and rumors, too, and says nothing,
apparently taking keen delight IN
the continuing curiosity about MS
movements, which more often than
not have foreshadowed spectacular
maneuvers.
The Lewis technique for the mo-
ment seems to be to maintain a
strategic silence and a fluid posi-
tion. Political and economic changes
at home and abroad may go lar
toward shaping his future course.
If he is thinking of expanding MS
activities and taking more promi-
nent part in the public life, then MS
latest moves look like decoy.
For several years people who nave
come to visit him have been &C
customed to seeing him in the huge'
kumptuous oak paneled Offices on
the second floor of the United Mine
workers Building. There behind
desk with a freshly lit cigar ano
surrounded by a dozen big leather
,,nholstered chairs, he was ready 10
do business.
And if the occasion warranted
greater privacy, he had an ADJOINING
room-the inner sanctum.
But he gave all that up 4 lew
DAYS back; turned the space over 10
a branch of the miners union IN tne
Cas coke and chemical field, ana
moved himself up to a sixth moor
office lust about big enough 1or
himself. a desk and two visitors.
Opposes Waterway.
In mace of the tall, heavily draped
windows that used to give his once
a throne-room air, his new quarters
have two windows that look out at
the blank wall Of an adjoining
building.
Right now he is seemingly in
terested in fighting congressional
approval of the st. Lawrence water
way and power project, and giving
a personal touch and push to the
organizing of some 100000 workers
In the gas, coke and chemical IN
dustries.
Not many of his friends and asso-
ciates think he will be content
merely with the paper details and
routine affairs of the miners union.
After all. he has coal so well or
ranized that the coal operators col
lect his dues and assessments for
him.
Take it from his friends. he could
have the Cd. o. presidency again
without a struggle If his successor,
Mr.. Murray, now i'll in a Pittsburgh
hospital, should resign or decide be-
cause of his health to forego another
term at the c. I. o. helm.
There is a confident note in their
nversation-mixed with some un-
disguised grumbling about the pres
ent C. I. o. leadership-that Mr..
Lewis is the only man who could
hold C. I. o. together if Mr. Murray
stepped out.
After all. they argue, MIR. Lewis
has given Ave years of hard work to
building C. I. O., which now claims
q membership of 5000 900, and could
not stand off and watch his handi-
work disintegrate if no other strong
man were available for the job.
Murray Has Support.
Mr.. Murray's friends hold equally
strong views that the quiet-spoken
Scotsman must retain the C. I. o.
leadership even though it may take
him a long time to recover his
health.
They see Mr.. Murray In complete
command of the next c. I. o. con-
vention in November, his regime
fortified by newly won successes and
prestige, especially in steel and in
autos. where Henry Ford was signed
to c. I. o. union shop contract.
Mr.. Lewis does not like the Roose-
velt administration policies on for
eign and national defense affairs,
and he cares even less for the di-
Section given to defense labor prob
lens by his one-time ally, Sidney