Henderson daily dispatch., 1946-11-25
Lewis Strike Count

Senator Byrd of Virginia has
complied record OF strikes John
Lewis has called in the coal mines.
and they add up 10 eight III the last
five years. Each time the govern
mcnt interviewed and each time
Lewis won substantial victory.
Seven times Lewis was appeascd
by President Roosevelt. and last
May President Truman followed the
same pattern.
At first. Lewis struck every two
years: then ii was every year: now
1t is twice the same year. AS the
senator remarked. the situation is
lntolcrablc and menaces the very
stability and Foundation of our in
StitutionS. All this. too. by one man.
leading to the speculation as to how
long the American people will stand
for this intimidation of their govern
mcnt. Further appeaSement in
another surrender now only post
couraGcS him in making new and
greater demands. until ultimately
if indeed not already-thc mines
viii no, longer be the property Of
their owners. except in title. and
Lewis will virtually possess them.
All over the nation the people are
hoping there vii! be no further ap-
pcaScmCnt. II VIC are to have an
aI,hy. tho sooner we know II and
begin I" deal with the situation. the
better il will be. Already there has
been too much of this sort of deal
ing. To quote Senator Byrd again.
tho President and Congress have
talked too much about the rights of
labor and ,c0 little about the re-
sponSiblliticS Of labor
Never has there been clearer
case of strike against the govern.
mcnt. Never. 50 far as we have
recollection. has these been such de-
iiancc Of governmental authority.
To grant Lewis demands now
would add greater cost To their
operation. and the owners say their
expenses now are SO high they can
81 not operate on a profitable basis
Additional cost increases. saws Sen
: ator Byrd. will mean that the own
erS will refuse - take the properties
back. and that would result in
naturalization OF the mines. Govern
ment experience in operating them
= This year is evidence enough OF
. what that would mean bv wav nj
Z costs. for Lewis would never be
: satisfied and would continue his in
limitation OF government 10 &c.
what he demands. Moreover. ma
!, tionalization of the coal mines would
mean similar action as to the rail-
roads and other public utilities. No
:" one knows Where the cycle vo,Il,l
: end. This would put the nation far
: along the road 10 national socialism.
< which is what they have in Russia
y and what Hitler had in Germany
z under another name. II may very
2 we'll be that this is actually what
Lewis wants and what he is aiming
at.
President Trumans stand against
Lewis now is not the first such bold
front the government has put up.
only in the end to submit. and Ia
offer further appeasement of the
: mine labor boss. II is time for n
showdown. Whatever the cost, short
OF actual disaster. we hope it def
nitely comes now. Sooner or later
1T must The longer the delay the
worse will be the settlement and
the greater the price that will have
TO be paid. Americans, we believe
will support President Truman TO
the bitter end in fighting this one
out, as he said he intended TO do.
The country hopes he will not weak
en- and that he will be as good as
his word.