Evening star., 1948-04-17
Coal Strike Settlement
Made Campaign Issue
by Sullivan Attack

The settlement of the soft coal
strike was one of the issues OF
the 1s4s campaign today.
It was injected into the Presi-
Dental battle by Gael Sullivan
executive director of the Demo-
cratic National Committee, who
told the American Society of News
paper Editors last night that the
settlement had been pre-arranged
last Friday night in a secret hotel
room conference. He said the con-
ferees were House, Speaker Martin,
Senator Bridges, Republican, of
New Hampshire. and Joseph N.
Pew, wealthy oil man and Penn
sylvania Republican leader.
The charge brought an immedi-
ate denial from the Republican
Speaker. Mr.. Martin declared in
New York last night that 1.-THE
statement that Mr.. Sullivan made
that I had any talk with Mr.. Pew
before I settled the coal strike is
q malicious lie. 1t is simply Demo-
cratic sour grapes in an effort
to cover up the inefnciency and
ineptness of the. Truman admin
stration."
Sees Martin Myth"
Mr.. Sullivans statement was the
first to bring into print one of the
most persistent rumors in Wash
ington this week, that the Penn
sylvania oil man had somehow been
involved in the coal settlement.
Mr.. Sullivan addressed the editors
at their annual meeting at the
Hotel Statler. Also on the same
program were Representative Brown
of Ohio. chairman of the executive
committee of the Republican Ma.
tional Committee, and C. B. Bald.
win, campaign manager of the
Wallace for President Committee.
"Over the week end, we have
seen the rise of the Martin myth
since Speaker Martin was able tc
settle in 10 minutes the soft coal
strike that had been going on 2s
days." Mr.. Sullivan said.
Recalls 1910 Slogan.
"What happened before is of more
importance. Thirteen hours ear
lier, in a Washington hotel room
Martin, Bridges and Joe Pew met
together. Some arrangements were
made"
Mr.. Sullivan recalled that, in 1910
President Roosevelt had evolved q
campaign slogan, saying, Hold youl
hats boys, here come Martin, Bar
ton and Fish"
Nov we can say he went on
Hold your noses boys, here come
Martin, Bridges and Pew"
Last Saturday Speaker Martin
called to his Office in the Capitol
John L. Lewis, United Mine Work
ers president, and Ezra Van Horn
representative of the mine operators
on the UNIV retirement and welfare
fund.
13-Minute Agreement.
Thirteen minutes later the agree
ment to have Senator Bridges for
the third and neutral member of
the welfare fund board was an
nounced. Senator Bridges met with
Mr.. Lewis and Mr.. Van Horn two
hours on Sunday. Monday morning
a $100 monthly pension plan for the
miners was announced by Senator
Bridges, ending the strike. =
Speaker Martin had told reporters
last Saturday he had told no one OF
his strike settlement plan except
Senator Bridges, In a speech in
New York last night, he said he had
believed he should do what he could
to avert a threatened catastrophe
adding: II moved into the picture
and was successful in bringing to-
gether the contending parties and
reaching an agreement upon a third
man as trustee"
In the question period which
followed the addresses of the three
speakers before the editors last
night. Mr.. Brown was asked to
explain why Speaker Martin had
gone into competition with the
Federal Mediation Service and the
United States District Court in the
Lewis matter"
Presumed Martin "Anxious."
Mr.. Brown said he had not talked
with Speaker Martin about the mat
ter, He said that, after % days
in which President Truman had not
settled the strike, he presumed
Speaker Martin was anxious to
see the coal strike settled"
Mr. Brown, the first speaker,
said las soon as we have Repub-
lican President" great deal more
will be done to "delouse our Fed
eral payroll by driving out the rad
icals and fellow travellers. He also
said Hundreds of thousands of un-
needed public employees" would be
returned to more productive work
in agriculture. commerce or indus
try"
Mr.. Brown prodded Mr.. Sullivan