Coal Demosthenes

The NRA was a triple Godsend to John Llewellyn Lewis. First it enabled him to "organize" coal fields that had not been unionized, to increase the members of his United Mine Workers from 300,000 to 650,000 in a few months. Second, NRA provided a new force to compel coal operators to raise wages and shorten hours --as General Johnson did fortnight ago to prevent a strike in the soft coal fields. Last week, as a third blessing, NRA provided Mr. Lewis with a new and bigger stage for his oratorical genius. Orator Demosthenes practiced speaking with a mouthful of pebbles. Orator Lewis, unschooled, presumably taught himself to speak with a mouthful of nut coal. In other years his resonant, impressive voice, his downright bearing, his mastery of histrionic pauses, of scathing comment, were used in miners' meetings to make him undisputed leader of the United Mine Workers. They were also used in private wage bickering with coal operators. Neither setting gave him the public recognition which he deserved. General Johnson settled the threatened coal strike by amendments to the bituminous coal code that cut hours from eight to seven per day, raised wages. The Appalachian coal operators, in whose mines the United Mine workers are strongest, were prompt to accept the agreement. The operators of the South and Southwest, who in years past have worsted the United Mine Workers, stood out against the change, maintained that higher freight rates from their mines necessitated lower wages. The Alabama operators even went so far as to shut down their mines to obtain a temporary injunction against the new NRA regulation on the grounds that General Johnson's amendments were "discriminatory and confiscatory." Last week NRA held hearings in Washington to give the dissenting operators a chance to put their case. The hearings also gave John L. Lewis a national forum where with nothing harder than words he soundly cracked the heads of his opponents. Onetime Secretary of War Patrick J. Hurley appeared to represent two objecting coal operators from Illinois. Mr. Hurley gave assurance of his sympathy for the miners by telling that in his youth he himself had been a miner and a member of the mine union. When Mr. Hurley had finished, Orator Lewis rose, and speaking impressively with frequent pauses declared: "It is a matter of pride to a member of the U. M. W. to see a man of that organization go out into the highways and byways of national politics and make a name for himself that is recognized throughout the country. (Pause.) But it is a matter of sorrow and regret to see a man betray the union of his youth--(pause)--for 30 lousy pieces of silver!'' Furious, Mr. Hurley rushed forward shouting objections. Neither turning head or shifting gaze, Mr. Lewis, with magnificent indifference, interjected: "Strike out '30 pieces of silver.' Let it stand 'Betray the union of his youth,' " and then resumed the even tenor of his oratory. Two days later he cracked another head. Forney Johnston, a slender, sharp-nosed Southerner, representative of the Alabama coal operators, came and delivered an ultimatum to NRA. Said he: "The hours and wages amendments to the bituminous code combine the law of the jungle with the worst features of a military despotism. . . . The Alabama coal operators are definitely determined not to conform to any further one-man determination of policy. The amendments are and will continue to be treated as null and void." Mr. Lewis took the floor. "There is no reasonable man," he began, "who does not recognize that statement as bombast. The Alabama coal operators are not quite ready to declare war on the United States. But"--he paused and glowered--"if they feel that way, the United Mine Workers are ready within 15 days to furnish the President with 20 army divisions to force them to comply with the law." Mr. Johnston, very much in earnest, interrupted : "As between civil war in the industry and subjection of the industry to the proconsuls [northern coal operators who accepted the wage agreement] working through a military ringmaster [General Johnson], we prefer civil war." "I do not think," said Mr. Lewis contemptuously, "that it will come to that. Those operators seek to make a virtue of imposing more degrading working conditions and medieval barbarism than any other mining region"--and proceeded to pile it on until the Southerner, fuming with rage, confronted him, demanded that they "settle the question outside."

"How charming!" said Mr. Lewis, every ponderous inch the orator. "How novel! But I'm afraid it would not add to the gaiety of nations." And Forney Johnston, like Patrick Hurley, left the field of battle in possession of the grim Demosthenes of coal.

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