The Pittsburgh Press (October 17, 1940)
LEWIS GIVES ROOSEVELT HIS ‘PRICE’ FOR SUPPORT
Washington, Oct. 17 (PWB) –
John L. Lewis, head of the United Mine Workers of the CIO, today said before President Roosevelt the terms under which he will support the third term candidacy, according to authoritative information from a close associate of the labor leader.
Mr. Lewis called at the White House in advance of the regular schedule of visitors and spent about 20 minutes with the President. Several weeks ago, he made a White House call and it did not become known for several days.
Foremost in the list of demands of Lewis’ support, it is believed, is an assurance from the President that the government will withhold defense contracts from concerns that have been designated by the National Labor Relations Board as ij violatio0n of provisions of the Wagner Law.
Prominent among the concerns that would be affected by such a policy is Bethlehem Steel Co., which has a long-standing controversy with the Steel Workers Organizing Committee over organization of the company’s thousands of workers under the Congress of Industrial Organizations.
While Mr. Lewis has been officially silent, Labor’s Non-partisan League, political arm of the CIO, recently has been hammering against the refusal of government agencies to adopt this policy in defense contracts. Bethlehem and other companies that would be affected already have received orders worth many millions of dollars.
Mr. Lewis’ opposition to Mr. Roosevelt – whom he supported heavily with efforts and Mine Worker money in 1936 – came into the open in last winter’s CIO national convention, when he predicted “ignominious defeat” if the President ran for a third term.