Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-05-05
Lewis Viewed
AS Smartes+
Labor Leader
Tactics in Coal Strike
Are Reviewed
BY PAUL MALLON

WASHINGTON, May Sin
w the coal trouble, John
Lewis has appeared by his ac-
tionS 10 be an incomprehensible,
rampant agitator.
The news of events has pic
turCd him as a violent breeder
Of the secret strike who defed
the government but was finally
put IN his place by Mr.. Roose-
welt.
To all inside the labor move
ment IT has been apparent that
Mr.. Lewis was in control Of the
whole situation from the Begin
ing. BY his actions he deliber-
ately forced the government 10
take the steps that were taken
that he wanted the govern
ment TO take. He even forced
Mr.. Roosevelt TO take over the
mines. Instead Of that step
being a punishment TO Lewis. it
was actually contrived by him.
lie HAD no chance of get
H ting anything out Of the
operators, because the govern
ment actually controls their
business. Prices are fixed by
Mr.. IckeS' coal commission. No
wage increase could be granted
by the owners of the mines
Tin name only without increas-
ing the prices and the govern
ment would have 10 do that.
The operators could not even
guarantee him a siX-day work.
week FOR a year.
Thus, the only way Lewis had
a chance to get what he wanted
was 10 sponsor a secret strike
and force the government 10
become his new employer, with
whom he could deal under more
favorable auspices. this admins
tration desiring always TO do
nothing TO offend labor.
He even got a promise from
Mr.. Roosevelt in the Sunday
night White House radio talk
that the government, as his new
employer, would carry out all
phases Of his existing contract -
implying that the government,
this supposedly impatient and
great militant power Of all the
people, would actually collect
Lewis dues for him under the
check-on system.
HIS detectives are TO get nego-
IL tiations out of the hands of
the unfavorable (to HIM War
Labor Board, and into the hands
of some amenable policitcan like
Mr.. Ickes. And he had reason
to expect from the government
the six-day work week guaran-
tee. which is a way of increas-
ing miners pay without appear
ing 10 do so.
As matters have stood, many
operators have been unwilling TO
pay the time and a half over
time for the sixth day, because
il represented a wage increase
and greatly increased costs. But
Madam Perkins, the labor secre-
tary, publicly suggested this solu-
ton. She did not propose that
the guarantee be for a year, but
Lewis attached that period of
time to il.
Apparently. the government,
or Perkins at least. takes the
novel position that such a wage
increase would not be inf1a-
tionary because the miners
would be doing added work for
the increased remuneration.
Therefore, Mr.. Lewis, instead
of being a whipped and punished
Grant, is still politically in con-
troll of the situation and seems
likely to put the government
into a very bad hole.
A NYTHING granted to him by
n the government as an en-
ployer will be demanded by all
labor. Bill Green and Phil
Murray are not going to let
Lewis get anything that is also
not later granted TO them.
There is just one element in
the situation working against
Mr.. Lewis getting what he wants
and the administration stretch
DDNT TE DTTCK