Montana labor news., 1950-03-30
Coal Miners Individual Refusal to Be
Herded Back to Pits-Bnngs Victory

American coal miners. after enduring nine months OF news
have demonstrated to trade unionists and the American people
rs well that the spirit OF self determination and the individual )
will to fgh, for his own and retention OF his inherent liberties
have not been crushed in the American coal fields
The action OF American coal miners-tirsi collectively and
then on their own as individual puts the he to the malicious
and slanderous campaign selling talks of professional union
busters who invariably charge that wage, hour and welfare
demands OF unions are the sole product Of labor leaders and
do not. as a rule, have the general approval and substantial
packing OF the rank and file membership
1t was on such a background premise OF ridiculous thinking
and unsound reasoning that stupid management employed
pEony industrial relations quacks 10 sell Congress the NAM con
cocted alleged labor management code which was later accepted
by an obedient Congress and enacted into law CNAM TIL
law a 5 a sure cur tor industrial unrest. pecemeal liquidation
OF trade unions and collective bargaining.
The IN American schemers used an unthinkne Congress to
provide political controls and empower courts to render judi
cal DEGREES embracing the execution Of injunciivc processes
which would stop trade union from enjoying free collective
bargaining and pave the. way for regimented involuntary ser
vitude.
Since the NAMTH law as written is a denial OF long &C
ceptcd constitutional rights OF free Americans. the Infamous
trainers OF the law depended upon push button injunction de
erees by the courts, plus punitive pcnalties-irfespccuve Of
iacts OF evidence.
This incomprehensible conclusion-the product OF immature
thought-was predicated up the iallacy that only officers of a
trade union would have to be death with. and once the high
officials were banned from continuing to lead a work stoppage
and enJoined from supporting such a stoppage financially, the
rank and file would trek ike sheep back to the mines OF work
benches.
The decision of Judge keech absolving President Lewis and
his colleagues OF charges OF violating an Injunction mandating
the UMWA to order its members to resume work and end the
work stoppage-in compliance with the NAMTH law-was
a solar plexus blow to swashbucking attorneys. public relations
takers. advertising geniuses and association secretaries doing
business as the coal industry.
The injunction was one of two. the first having been secured
by coal operators through the cooperation Of Counsel Denham Of
the NLRB which limited demands to the ~prohibitive provisions
of the NAM-T-H law.
Two previous fines imposed on the UMWA-in 1916 under
the Smith Connally law and in 1913 under the NANI II
llaw-totaling So. 30 600, for what the courts ruled to be non
compliance in The matter OF instructions for a return to work
were ~precedents which the union busters were 50 confident of
being repealed that only a mere charge Of lack Of good faith in
court compliance would produce a like verdict, they thought.
Outwittng the bigshot hirelings and the prophecies Of writer's
and commentators. President Lewis and his colleagues sent out
good faith instructions in compliance with the injunction man
dates.
This surprise move on the part of UNIV officials be
wildered the professional hireings, who resorted to interpre
tive tricks which they passed on to their political contacts in an
endeavor to prove that somewhere in he language of the several
kilograms, letters and general instructions officially sent to miners
to return to wrok in compliance with the court order there
lurked a hidden word which conveyed a don't comply mes
sage.
The continued refusal to work by outraged individual miners
made the hirelings feel that another conviction was certain.
But to the wonderment OF nearly all, Judge keech rendered
a decision on the basis Of facts-dtspite the demand Of the
Justice Department Tor a conviction even though proof Of the
violation Of the court order was not at hand.
The honest decision Of Judge Keech Knocked the props out
from under the conspiracy to debate the UMWA and get John
L. Lewis which began to operate May Is, 1910. 1t shattered
all hopes Of the conspirators that such a deunionization job
could be achieved at this time.
SO the operators got a hold on themselves. shed then con.
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