The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-08-14
Facing The Foc+s
With PHILIP PEARL

They tell us that John l.. Lewis is
marching up and down his air-con-
ditioned office in Washington these
days, gnashing his teeth and biting
his nails in an effort to find some
way to get back into the limelight as
president of the CIO.
Of course, Lewis has remained the
power behind the throne ever since
Phil Murray was elected to the title
of president last November. But that
does not satisfy the CIO dictator. He
is no shrinking violet. He does not
bloom in the background. His love of
power is matched only by his lust
for notoriety and this lust will not be
appeased until he regains his former
loffice.
What CRATES on Lewis nerves most
is the enforced silence with which he
must conduct himself in order to keep
up appearances. Under present cir
cumstances, even though Phil Murray
is seriously i'll in a Pittsburgh hos
|pital and cannot attend to business,
all important CIO statements must
be issued under his name.
Just think of it! Lewis has been
unable to issue a public blast ever
since that campaign speech of his
when he ignominiously defeated him
self by predicting the defeat of
Roosevelt. No wonder John l.. has
been suffering!
But from all reports we get Lewis
has been doing lot of rumbling and
thundering behind closed doors lately
There isn't the slightest doubt in the
world that these doors will be thrown
J Iopen before long SO that the terrific
spectacle of John l.. Lewis in full
storm may be viewed by all and
sundry.
u The Lewis Come Back
We read somewhere the other day
, that the projected Lewis comeback
may hinge on the outcome of the
present war between the forces OF
Hitler and Stain The sudden break
: in the Nazi- Soviet entente was a great
break for LeWis-at least he thinks
: SO. Allied as he is with the Com,
munistic elements in the CIO, he
figures that the new European Lineup
!, gives him a chance of entering once
more within the pale of decent peo,
pie. While the Communists and the
, Nazis were pals, the liberal fringe il
this country who had previously beer
} flirting with Lewis and the Stain line
= suddenly became disillusioned. They
1 suddenly discovered a hate for Lewis
] and denounced him with all THEN
former fury Of devotion. Exiled anc
cast out from the liberal fold, Lewis
languished forlornly. But now he
thinks he has a good chance of being
! welcomed back
| Still searching Lewis mental con
= volutions, we find that he thinks his
position will be especially fortified il
Stain succeeds in licking Hitler. Be
cause the truth is that Lewis has no
J yet been converted to democracy. He
= still hates Roosevelt and all that th'
President stands for. He still is op
posed to the national defense pro
S gram. His dream is this-that i
i Stain licks Hitler there will be nt
e longer any cause for the Unitet
: States to fear involvement in the wa
and the national defense program viii
be exposed as a waste of money AM
:, effort. That, in the opinion Of Lewis
a will make Roosevelt look silly an,
Il make himself look smart.
e The Lewis dream does not en'
). there. 1t goes on to the dim, distan
q future where he sees himself as
: candidate for President Of the Unite
States with Senator Wheeler as hi
running mate on the ticket of tn
Shrunkcn Bellies Party.
Revolt in the CIO?
Well, we would like to cautio
Lewis, in the first place, to do littl
reducing Of his own paunch before h
dares to run on that ticket or he wi
look little silly in his own right.
In the second place, much as W
pray for Hitlcr's defeat, we doub
that Soviet Russia will be able to ac
complsh it.
In the third place, no matter wha
happens i'm the future and no matte
how the political picture changes, tn
chances of John l.. Lewis ever bcin
elected President of the Unite
IS States are exactly nil.
S However, it must be admitted tina
n Lewis can be elected President Of tn
h IClO any time he wants to call con
# vention He has the solid Communis
:, bloc behind him, he has the supper
: of all the paper unions he maintain
out of the treasury of the Unite
Mine Workers and, Of course, he COZ
trolls the mine union.
\ But, the chances are that if Levi
insists ON beinor crowned again he wi