Evening star., 1947-07-09
The s64 Question
Lewis Tells How He Got
The Best Deal He Ever Had

The Best Deul I Ie Ever Had
Mine Leader Declares u. s. Steel
Wants Production at Amy Price
By Doris FIseson
The ss4 question was put bluntly to John L.
Lewis when he was expstiating on his advants-
geous contract with the coal operators:
How, At this low sbb In lsbor's popularity.
did you get the best deal you ever gotp"
Mr.. Lewis instantly went into his act with
that tightening OF his heavy features which
betrays his keen, II often bitter. sense Of huor.
Who knows what is in the minds Of the coal
operators?" he countered.
He couldn't let 1t rest there: his sense sS
vindication was too strong They had mines
and needed help" he said innocently. We
had miners. The Government had discharged
us and We were idle. OF course they could
have imported No. 900 displaced persons instead.
but they didn't seem to want that. But who
can tell what q coal operator thinks-if he
thinks?"
Question Behind By-Piay.
Behind the by-play of the most arrssting
actor IN American politics, now that his rival.
Mr.. Roosevelt, is of stage. the question re-
mains and is intensely argued here. White
House, coal State Congressman, AL, CgO.
mine workers, all answer it = little differently.
but with surprising unanimity on one realistic
core which is the economies Of the matter.
In essence. their story Is that steel wants
production at any price.
The argument runs on that United States
Steel. which spsrked the agreement. has no
theology and no politics It is making vast
profits and wallowing In orders. 1t can't stand
the thought of a costly strike when 1t Is making
30 much money. And 1t can pass the price
burden to the consumer.
The slow. undramatic falling of in the mum.
ber of miners Is another factor industry real
ICES well as Mr.. Lewis Coal Is operating in
q contracting labor market; the average age
Of . miner in this country is now 50. Child
labor and education laws were already having
pronounced effect. the recent war caused an
other sharp contraction. An operator expressed
it succinctly: How you gonna keep them down
in the mine after they've seen the world?" Mr.
Lewis said I'VE had miners" he could have
added: There are not too many Of them"
With surprising einanimity, Mr.. Lewis Ia
given credit for proper trade union motives
these days. Both CIO and his own AFL con-
tend he feels that labor has been put danger
ously on the defensive. He is said to be the
moving spirit behind new efforts for the unih-
cation of labor. He is expected to direct
personally the AFL strategy against the Taft
Hartley bill
Leftists Have Story.
Leftists here have political story to account
for the Lewis contract. They say that Mr..
Lewis could have neutralzed Senators Cooper
and Revercomb on the Taft-Hartley bill as he
has immense power in their States Kentucky
yY{~o oioia nL,n hat he ~ a
not interfere and got in return a promise hs
would be taken care of. The contract is the
pay-on.
For many reasons 1t hardly adds up and CIO
sources are quick to say it. In this connection
a story is told of the Republican attitude to.
ward labor as described by Senator Taft.
william Hutcheson boss of the carpenters
union and Republican, pleaded with Senator
Taft that their party would lose all labor by
his bill. Mr. Taft told him: I'VE have already
written off labor We are going to win and
we know 1t no matter what you DO"
Such candor would be characteristic Of Sem
ator Taft. 1t might not be tactful but 1t ac-
curately reflects the self-conhdence with which
the Republicans face 1s4S. They are not in
a mood to make deals.
Mr. Lewis himself savsgely attacked Senator
Taft and the COP, as tools Of finance, though
he paid them the reluctant tribute that "at
least the Republicans stay bought" This
might have been also a gibe by indirection at
the late Mr. Roosevelt to whose 1886 campaign
Lewis mineworkers contributed $500 ,o00 Mr..
Lewis fell out with him almost Immediately
afterward.
AFL heads meet here this week to map their
tight on the new law. Mr.. Lewis goes into the
conference hero: If his own SUPERFICIAL.
poker-playing in such matters Is a guide hs
will advise some interesting moves.
Said an envious colleague: IF that blank
blank fell into q sea Of mud he'd come out
with a new suit