The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1945-02-22

Every once in while John l..
Lewis gets himself into the spotlight.
He's there now. So, let's talk about
him.
Talking about John L. Lewis has
occupied the time of many persons
for weeks at time. Nobody who just
sat around and whitfield could get
talked about so much by so many
persons.
There are many reasons why Lewis
| is talked about. For one thing, he
has pair of eyebrows that are ex-
tremely valuable as publicity getters.
You don't see 'em like his very often.
But it takes more than eyebrows.
Perhaps not more than a half dozen
know what John L.. Lewis thinks at
any given time. That is, what are his
innermost thoughts.
But after he has acted, it usually is
fairly clear as to what he HAS been
thinking.
Now here is one thing to chalk up!
A lot of mine workers are getting
more money and they have better
working conditions because of the
battles led by Lewis. He was quick
as flash to seize upon the guaran-
tees of NRA and at last armed
guards stopped shooting miners. Not
in a dozen years now has a miner
been shot for joining the union.
But NRA grew out of the Roose-
welt philosophy, to meet the needs of
the hour.
And in the next election campaign
thereafter, Lewis poured money and
effort into the campaign to re-elect
Roosevelt.
What thoughts moved Lewis to
turn on Roosevelt with all of the saw
agery at his command?
What did Lewis think that day in
Atlantic City when, on the point OF
leaving the A. F. of L., ne socked Bill
Hutcheson on the jaw, or points ad-
jacent thereto? And what does he
think in these current times when
clutch" is an ardent advocate of TAX
ing Lewis and his Miners back into
the Federation?
The answer seems to be that when
John l.. Lewis wants anything he
uses whatever means seem calculated
to get it.
And that when he wants to beat
or undo anybody he does
just about the same thing.
When Lewis was powering the
drive to organize the auto workers, in
the mad days of the sit-down strikes,
he didn't. miss many bets calculated
to force the employers to yield. Lots
of unorthodox things happened in
those days.
1t is as if Lewis, riding train to
get to certain point, were, in
flash, to get off and take train go
ing in the opposite direction, in order
to arrive at the same destination.
With the same force he will bust
the autonomy of a union, or he will
bust an officer.
TNihu yCI, Hitiy d tlillc tilS Mlllclo
nave responded with great generosity
20 appeals in behalf of those in need
If help. And with Lewis approval.
-
In the same convention where he
Doked Hutcheson, Lewis let it be
Known that he was prepared to blast
he tar out of any labor man who
night hold an office in the then de-
Lining National Civic Federation
Lewis didn't give hoot about the
holding of the offices, but he did give
| hoot about throwing scare into
'ome who might oppose his will in
he convention.
Labor has had few more colorful
and not many with fewer
lose friends-the kind that will do
my favor because of affection for a
nan.
John l.. Lewis hasn't had much to
ay about the war, either way. He is
'usy fighting his own wars and he
las always been one to keep his eye
n the ball he himself was pitching.
1t is easy to ask questions about
Ohm l.. Lewis, but it isn't so easy to
nswer them. A few men have sworn
y Lewis. But a great many more
ave sworn at him, with everything
n the book. That's probably how it
5ill be until the end of the race
INV.