This past week marks the 78th anniversary of the events which incited the Illinois Mine War.

United Mine Workers District 12 had been on strike in Illinois since April, 1932. On August 6, 1932, a referendum was held to determine whether its members would accept the coal operators proposal – a decline in wages from $6.10/day to $5.00/day. Four days later the ballots were stolen.

The Nation magazine reported:

“…before the votes could be counted, and in fact while the ballot boxes were being transported…to the district headquarters of the United Mine Workers where they were to be opened and the votes tallied, the boxes were stolen by two armed men.

John L. Lewis, international president, promptly declared that an emergency existed and that under his emergency powers he would have to order the new contract to take effect immediately.

Obviously, nothing was said in the Lewis announcement concerning the fact that ownership of the automobile in which the two thugs were riding had been traced to Fox Hughes, vice-president of the Illinois district of the United Mine Workers and one of Lewis’s henchmen. It is not surprising that a new revolt against the Lewis-Walker leadership is spreading among the Illinois miners, who are continuing the strike despite Lewis’ order.”

The Nation, August 24, 1932

This bit of burlesque characterized the feelings of many of Illinois miners at that time:

John L. Lewis blew the whistle;
John H. Walker rang the bell;
Fox Hughes stole the ballots,
and the miners wages went to hell.

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