Show l COURT UNION UNION FINES FINIES 1420 LEWIS r US U.S. U S. S Holds Jail J il- il T Threat reat Handy L WASHINGTON April Ail 20 UP John IP-John John L. L Lewis Levs was waz fined and the United Mine 1 ine Workers for contempt Tuesday and the government kept hanging over Lewis the threat of of ofa a jail a-jail jail sentence e e. e I IThe The possibility of jail still remained because Judge T. T Alan AJan Goldsborough Imposed the fines ines only for criminal contempt He will act Friday on n a finding that Lewis the and the U 15 M W are guilty gUntY also o of civil contempt t for failing fall fail ing mg to hee heed heeda a courts court's strike stop-strike order Assistant i tant Attorney General H. H Graham Morison said the government government government govern govern- ment might recommend a Jail sentence sea len tence Friday if the coal miners are not working f. f He said frankly that the purpose purpose pur pur- po pose e of the tho delay was to see whether the miners now settle Bettle down to fu full working schedules It was WM not clear from reaction in the field what the miners might do Some said we we got a dirty deal i Others ers called the fines n not t too bad Pound of of- Flesh Morison recommended only fines for tor criminal contempt G Goldsborough Goldsborough Golds- Golds borough accepted the recommendation recommendation recommendation dation but said it had been his hi own inclination to send Lewis Lew l to JaiL Lewis sat silently through the proceedings in United States district district dis diB- dis- dis court His massive jaw twitched but otherwise he gave no sign of emotion But hi his attorney Welly K Hopkins Hop Hopi kins kins- cried o out t that the government govern govern government ment meat att attorneys meys were demanding their pound of flesh sh He also l accused the government of f politic political 1 l motives That hat brought a protest from hom Morison and Goldsborough ruled the the re remarks remarks xe- xe marks mark out of order Hopkins shouted God I forgive them They know not what they do to alt all althe the men women and children in the jurisdiction j i of ot this union Criminal contempt Is a pena penalty ty for di disobedience of a court or injury to the dignity of ot the court and its orders Civil contempt proceedings Br Bra are area a means for enforcing a court order if it Reputed Wealthy Before Tuesdays Tuesdays' proceedings some attorneys had expressed the opinion that only a fine could be imposed for civil contempt that contempt that any jail sentence would have to be for criminal contempt But Mori- Mori told son reporters that was Incorrect The present state of the U M W Wa ws treasury is a uni union n secret but the union long has has' been reputed to to tobe be bea a wealthy o one e. e The last public report on its finances was in October Oc Pc- pc- pc tober 1946 when the U M W convention convention convention con con- was advised the treasury held The fines are just double what the bushy U M W chief and his miners had to pay after they similarly were found guilty in 1946 of contempt for ignoring a acourt's courts court's strike stop-strike order Then Goldsborough fined Lewis Lewil and the tho union but the e supreme supreme court cut the unions union's fine to Daily Dany Penalty Lewis and the tho union were held guilty by y the judge Monday of both civil and criminal contempt In civil contempt penalties are usually lIy based on damages don doneSo done So pen penalties are arc often fixed to increase if if damages continue This might result in Goldsborough's ough's imp imposing ng a a daily penalty in event the miners do not work in protest against the criminal contempt fines Jines Lewis' Lewis attorney filed notice of ot intention to appeal the contempt conviction This was done right after sentence was WM imposed While Lewis sat eat ston stony faced Golds Goldsborough orough told him In passing sentence If this court was to use its it Individual jud judgment judgment- e t it would impose lm im I pose a prison sentence But the judge judg-e added that he was wasSe Se See Page 2 2 C Column 6 Miners Lewis Lewis' Fined by S Federal Court Continued from Page One only one man and was accepting the advice of ot the government Atty Gen H. H Graham Morison had recommended only the fines and said nothing about abou prison When he proposed them Morison reminded the Judge that Lewis am and the U M W were second offend offend- ers Morison said ald the court should discipline these defendants to impress upon them permanently permanently per per- that they must obey the courts Hopkins asked ased ed the judge to hold holdup holdup holdup up the fines pending outcome o othe ot of the appeals Morison objected and Goldsborough Goldsborough Goldsborough ough ruled there Is no reason reMon th the Judgment should be stayed Then Hopkins said bond equa equal to the amount of the combined fines would be posted Given Ghen a Day Goldsborough gave him until 1 10 am a.m. Wednesday to do so In deciding against sentencing Lewis Levis to jail Goldsborough commented com corn mente The court is only on onman one man and only the judgment of ot only one individual As I said yesterday yesterday yesterday yester yester- day the government h has acc access s sto to more material The court feels it should adopt recommendations of ot the government government government govern govern- ment unless It shocks the conscience conscience conscience con con- science of the court The court thinks all aU of ot that tha was covered by the court yester yester- day The fine is assessed against the defendant t union and against the individual Hopkins protested he knew o ono of no good purpose for putting of off the sentence on civil contempt until until un un- til Friday Goldsborough said he didn didn't either But he granted Morison Morison's motion for the the- delay Presumably Morison w when h hen e n making this suggestion had in mind a wait to see what happens happen In the coal fields Many miner miners walked out Monday after the contempt contempt contempt con con- tempt finding and others walked out Tuesday When Morison concluded Hopkins Hopkins Hopkins Hop Hop- kins the unions union's lawyer told th the Judge such fines as the government government government govern govern- ment s suggested W would o 0 u 1 d inflict grievous injuries on the miners He said Mid the penalties asked fo for were without parallel Speaking of the miners Hopkins said I 1 say to the government citizens they are arc not second-rate second He added Theres no caste system Of untouchables un un- S as as as yet Hopkins said the government harped repeatedly on the letters Lewis Lewi sent the mine operators operator Fe Feb 2 telling them the union re reserved reserved reserved re- re served the right to to take independent independent independent dent action because there had hac been no agreement on miners' miners pen pen- S Cites Speech Right He asked j f Why does the government bear down so heavily on the message of Feb 2 addressed not to the union but to the operators and made public by tlc th i operators The right of free speech existed ex e.- isted on Feb 2 The right of free speech existed on March 12 March 12 was the date when Lewis messaged the miners their contract was dishonored Hopkins asked the court Who is there to say to-say say that o on the morning of April 3 of this year that there was waR any violation of ot any law when the defendants addressed a report to the men of ot this union union- Lewis sent a letter to the membership membership membership mem mem- saying they were Independent independent independent dent agents and free tree to continue idle No strike had been en called Lewis reminded the soft coal miners S Hopkins remarked it was strange that the government had failed to mention Lewis Lewis' April 3 letter |