Imperial Valley press., 1943-05-03
Mnilneer.
"Saboteur.
Criminal and rebel.

Criminal and rebel.
Many are applying such terms as
these 10 John /. Lewis and his half a
million miner followers as the nation
watches with hated breath the outcome
of the tragic showdown between the walk
out workers and our government Is rep
resented by President Roosevelt
These epithets are being applied to
MIR. Lewis and sometimes 10 his follow
ers with utmost conviction, but unhap-
pily more often as a result Of emotional
thinking rather than as a result OF IN
emotional rationalizing. Such confusing
of thought and emotion Is, however, high
" pardonahle. So many Of the factors
arc obscure IN the American mind, and
at the same time war ferVor and nation
al determination are al such pltch that
the people are III no mood to countenanee
a serious threat to the war program.
This newspaper is not quite prepared
as YET to condemn Mr.. Lewis and his fol
lowers as actual saboteurs, criminals and
traitors, for two reasons. Firstly, there
probably Is more of fact involved in this
matter than appears Oh the surface and
lest W be guilty of half-thought. we be-
lieve wisdom would dictate withholding
judgment until all facts are on the table.
Secondly, even authorities appear some
what non-pluSsed as TO the legal phases
of Mr. Lewis revolutionary action. So
until the law is clear and the evidence
presented in court. it would be unwise
and unfair TO draw final. legal conelu-
sion
Moral and patriotic issues, however
appear sufficiently clear to warrant la
beliinq Mr. Lewis all of those things and
worse on moral and unpatriotic grounds
I've iapl OF
most of it.
Mr. Lewis appears morally traltorous
on several counts.
Firstly, The workers whom he leads
can stop the elaborate and essential war
program within but few days by not
working Actually. we know of no law
or bureaucratic dictation which can make
these men work, SO legally he is break
ing no law Technically, he is breaking
no pledge Of labor not to strike, because
technically this isn't a strike according
to his apparent reason. Now that the
contract with operators has expired, his
men merely quit Work until new con-
tract is made He can hide behind his
technical logic until he is blue in the face,
but he doesn't alter the fact that by so
doing, he Is merely using allbl and eX
cuse TO materially endanger our war ef-
fort.
Secondly, his action is the result Of
unjust, undemocratic and unpatriotic
selfishness. We are in life and death
struggle in which we're making a pretty
poor showing thus far. That's how ser
ious things are. In the midst Of such cru
cial circumstance, certain governmental
operation and control IS established.
Hardly anyone IS 100 per cent happy and
satisfied with this rule, method and au-
thority. Most of us are very unhappy
with it Weaknesses and faults, and &C
casional and often palpable unfairness
between groups and classes
But Just because Mr. Lewis isn't salts
fled with everything he believes he has
some Cod given right to bust up the par
ty. II rs right for him its right for
everyone TO do this But inVersely, II 1t
isn't right fer others, then it IS Just as
palpablv wrong for him
Maybe those miners are finding things
tough going at present wage scales and
prices Well they're not alone by long
shot Millions of others are being hurt
So even if the miners have some grleV
ances they should carry their burden IN