Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-10-30
Lewis Held
Dictator
Of Miners
No Union Democracy,
PeeIer Believes
By WESTBROOK PEGLER

EFT us ignore for today the
- merits of John L. Lewis
case i'm the so-called captive coal
mines whose product is used ex-
clusively by companies which
produce 80 per cent of the steel
for national defense and consider
the nature of the United Mine
Workers and its government.
That Lewis Is a dictator and
that he rules the districts or
subdistricts of his empire
through satraps responsible and
beholden to him alone is well
understood and never denied in
the union movement.
His power is absolute and
when its suits his purpose and
his dictatorial character to APP
point subdictators over the dis
tricts he does so without regard
for the democratic process which
he and other professional union.
GERS invoke when democracy
seems more appetizing than abb
solutism.
The miners have little voice in
the decisions made in their
name, except occasionally when
il is obvious to Lewis that they
will sustain him.
Not even the scrubwomen and
window washers who toiled for
George Scalise had less influence
in the affairs of their union than
the miners have in the UNIV
under John l.. Lewis.
The scrubwomen and window
washers had no more TO say
about the rates of their dues and
fees and the expenditure of their
money out of the central treas
ury and thus il was that Lewis
with the great treasury of the
miners under his own hand was
able TO contribute or lend $780,
600 toward the election of Presi-
dent Roosevelt at a time when
the money was welcome.
THUS. also. the dues and fees
of the miners TO the extent
of about S2.000,0O0 were lent or
given like federal grants 10 the
states. counties and cities, for
the organization OF CIO unions
in other industries, including the
editorial department Of the
American press.
And thus. in these other fields
of labor, Lewis gained a politi-
cal power which is not yet
broken. although il may seem 10
be broken. just as the political
! power of the President was ex-
tended and intrenched BY the
distribution OF money ouf'of the
national treasury in the form OF
loans and grants TO the subdi-
visions of government and by
the appointment of deserving
New Dealers to positions OF
minor power.
Lewis. the politician and OPP
portunist. once needed his old
enemy Will Green. the president
of the AF'L. with taunt about
crooks in the leadership Of ALL
unions.
He was content 10 reside in
the house of labor with them
for years and never raised his
voice or hand against crook
or racketeer. as such. until a
moment when he thought he
could embarrass Green by men,
tioning these vermin.
! A LTHOUGH his mine workers
"A have taken a formal stand
against Communists, Lewis
cordially co-operated with them
in the organization of the Go
and the explanation that he
merely used them but reserved
the power TO destroy them when
they had served their purpose
for him is neither true in fact
nor an indication OF his attitude
toward communism.
He has not been able to de-
stroy them but, by his encour-
agement, has placed them In
POSITIONS of great power in some
of the most dangerous areas OF
union organization.
And the evidence all shows
that Lewis. as a man who de-
sfrcs and acquires power Tor its
own sake 10 the total neglect
of the rights of the rank and
file. would be as comfortable
running a Communist Dictator
ship in the role of an American
Stain as in Hitleresque ruler.
ship of the American nation.
His political ethics were re-
vealed when he sullenly con-
demned President Roosevelt for
his refusal to pay off the politi-
cal obligation which he thought
he had bought with the $500, 000
of the miners money.
I John LEWIS is Presiden,
- Roosevelt's personal problem,
for il was the early New Deal
which raised him 10 power.
Il III tho Noxry DooIorc fhay, kaI