Evening star., 1942-04-12
By Charles G.. Ross.

is ne QOOuL 70 make q neU Ola JOr
po,oer in American labor circles?
A. p. Photo.
Not alone to the disappointed follow
ers of Mr.. Lewis, but to the public gen.
orally, it appeared that Mr.. Lewis, hav-
ing failed to get the quid pro quo he ex-
pected from Mr.. Roosevelt, was turning
to Mr.. Willkie in long-shot gamble for
the restoration of the waning Lewis
power. There was something a little
awe-inspiring about the flop.
He gambled then-and lost. AS he
goes now about the expansion of his
catch-all District so of the United Mine
Workers-making it include even dairy
farmers-is he engaged in another ep-
ochal gamble to rebuild his power?
The belief is widespread in the top
ranks of the labor movement that when
he thinks the time is ripe, Mr.. Lewis will
pull out of the c. I. O., taking with him
the United Mine Workers and the other
groups under his control and form a
third labor organization with himself as
dictator-an organization which will
have bitter opposition to Mr.. Roosevelt
as one of its chief reasons for being.
Another Revolt in Offng!
Strong evidence that a breakup is
imminent was seen in the recent resigna-
tions of three key United Mine Workers
officials from the Illinois State c. I. o.
Council Ray Edmundson, close friend
of John L. Lewis, quit as head of the
council and regional director of the c. L.
O., saying that henceforth he would de-
vote his time to the United Mine Work.
ers of America under the leadership of
President Lewis"
Mr.. Edmundson was followed out of the
council by Hugh White of West Frank
fort, Ill, vice president of the Illinois
district of the United Mine Workers and
Edmundsons chief aid, and by Vernon
Ford of Chicago, mid-regional director
for District so of the United Mine Work
ers. Both Mr.. White and Mr.. Ford had
been on the Executive Board of the Illi-
nois State c. I. o. Council.
Indications of a growing rift between
Mr.. Lewis and the c. I: o. have continued
to pile up. Last Monday, six officials
of the United Mine Workers from the
States of Washington, Oregon, Montana,
Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma resigned
as regional directors of the c. I. o.
because, as they said, of unfair" attacks
by c. I. 0. leaders on President Lewis
of the United Mine Workers and on the
latter union itself.
On the same day, New York
chemical, drug and cosmetic workers
local union of the United Mine Workers,
seeking through court action to compel
Mr.. Lewis to reinstate its charter, which
he revoked last month, charged that the
local was being punished for its refusal
to serve the political feud" of John l..
Lewis with the President of the United
States and Philip Murray. A statement
by the locals vice president described
Mr.. Lewis as a power-hungry dictator
who would be the labor fuehrer of the
new order in America if his policy of
opposing all-out war efforts and disrupt
ing the ranks of labor can succeed
Looking beyond the immediate future,
those who see MIR. Lewis as the fomenter
of civil war in the labor movement-and
they include some of his closest adherents
of the old days-envision him also as an
opportunist leader who will seek to
exploit politically whatever confusion
and disillusionment may arise after the
war.
Ambition Seen as Motive.
In his desire for power, they say Mr..
Lewis has reached the point where any
sort of maneuver may be expected Of
him, and they cite in evidence not only
his support of Mr. Willlkie but a sub
sequent series of acts designed to harass
the organization he founded seven
years ago.
These have included such acts as his
current effort, without authority of the
c., I. o. leadership, to bring large new
groups of workers under his personal
sway; his "conniving," as it is claimed,
with william L. Hutcheson, head of the
A. F. L. carpenters union, to effect a
reunion of the A. F. L. and the c. I. o.
under conditions that would have made
Mr.. Lewis the supreme labor boss: his
more. recent demand upon the C. I. o.
that it begin the repayment of some
81 500 900 asserted to be due the United
Mine Workers.
Mr.. Hutcheson, ironically, is the 280
pounds of labor leader that Mr.. Lewis
Gals pounds) fioored In a fist fight at
the A. r. L. convention at Atlantic City
in 1885. Mr.. Hutcheson had charge Of