Evening star., 1950-05-18
Man Who CaIIedLewis
Dictator Is Out OF Job
Still After ; Months
Apology FoiIed to Help;
Suspension From UNIV
Stonds; Case Is Typical
By David Laurence

who called John L. Lewis a dicta-
tor, is still unemployed after three
months. He apologized, but it did
him no good. His suspension from
the union stands and keeps him
out of a job.
Everybody has had kind words
of sympathy and there have been
offers of financial aid, but it does
not help Joe Dickmon. who has
discovered he is living under a
dictatorship and that nobody is
doing anything that can help him
certainly not President Truman
and certainly not the administra-
ton leaders In Congress who are
blocking any action on the Taft
Hartley Act to protect workers
against arbitrary power by unions
Joe Dickmons case is typical
of many others. 1t can be best un-
derstood by reading a letter re-
ceived from him by this corre-
spondent today.
oSVAy AAVAAA
Mr.. Dickmon writes from his
home in Library. Pa, under date
of May Is giving the story from
the beginning:
II wrote a letter to the Pitts.
burgh Post Gazette calling Lewis
q dictator and asking the men to
revolt against him. About four
days after this letter was pub
lished. Tom Evans (our local pres
idenD made a statement to the
papers that I was through as
coal miner out here.
II answered by saying here was
another case of Dictatorship
never had a trial or a hearing
and one man can say that am
through as a miner.
II imagine that the District
leaders realized that Tom Evans
was wrong by making that state
ment without q meeting being
held because I received letter
requesting my attendance at the
next meeting.
II was called to the front of
the room and Tom Evans read
part from the United Mine Work
ers' constitution, saying any one
making false statements against
any union official is automatically
suspended for six months. He
then asked how pleaded. I
answered not guilty
HE then asked the men what
are they going to do. A miner
got up and made a motion that
the constitution be upheld. It
was seconded-put to a vote, ISL
to 0. I was handed a typed sheet
saying 7 was suspended. Two men
were assigned to escort me out Of
the meeting.
Appeal Was Filed.
"A lawyer from New Kensing-
ton offered his aid free of charge.
We filed an appeal to District S
Of which Bussurrello is president.
A few months went by and the
lawyer sent another letter signed
by me to District 5 saying in effect
that we can't go to court until all
efforts Of trying to get my appeal
hearing are exhausted.
"A week after this, I was given
q hearing before the board of
District 5. In my first letter to the
Post Gazette, I claimed that the
rank and file should be sent
booklets showing where the money
from our dues are being spent and
why.
"At the closed hearing before
the board of District S they
showed me booklets that were
sent to the treasurer every 6
months showing all this.
II apologized for not knowing
this and told them I would apollo
gize publicly-in return they were
to help me get reinstated and my
job back.
II haven't heard from any of
them. guess they expect me to
go to one of their meetings and
on my knees beg forgiveness
even then I wouldn't be sure of
getting reinstated.
ITO get suspended, they noti-
fed me to attend a meeting but
after apologizing, I guess they
figure to hell with me- So that's
how things stand right now.
Sincerely yours,
JOSEPH DICKMON."
"P. S.: BY the way, at myeappeal
hearing before District 5, Bussur-
relic asked me on what grounds
do base my appeal. I told him
that everything was pre-arranged
at the local meeting at No. 73, and
that no one proved I made false
statements. When anyone dares
to run against Lewis. he is thrown
out of the union. On the ballot,
he is the only one running for
Observation-Disclosures you vote for
him or not, he is elected. The
paper saying I was suspended was
all typed and folded before the
meeting was even called-which
they handed to me-"
Information Checked.
This correspondent checked by
telephone with the Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette, where the informa-
ton was forthcoming that Mr..
Dickmon had been offered his job
back by the Pittsburgh Coal Co.
but had declined it. This was
confirmed later by company
executives. who stated that Mr..
Dickmon presumably was afraid
that If he went to work the union
would order a strike and his
neighbors would be out of work.
Anyhow. he doesn't want to be a
non-union man. He wants mem
bership in a union that is free.
At the Office, of the general
counsel Of the National Labor
Relations Board here today, it
was declared that if Mr.. Dickmon
files letter of complaint, there
would be no legal expense to him
as the boards attorneys would
follow through on his case to
q 4