Word: centralia
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Dates: during 1940-1949
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...what of the owners, the Centralia Coal Co.? Could it be possible that they too are somewhat at fault? After all, who knew better than they the condition and safety of the mine? Who, ultimately, gives the go-ahead signal to the miners to work a certain mine...
Rumbling. Who was the culprit? Not the mine management which had allowed deadly quantities of coal dust to gather in the tunnels at Centralia No. 5. Neither was it Robert M. Medill, the cynical, hard-drinking director of the Illinois Department of Mines and Minerals. Medill had sought political contributions from mine owners. He had refused to listen to an inspector who had pleaded that the Centralia mine be closed as a deathtrap. Medill resigned in a hurry-but Lewis showed no interest in him. He was after bigger game...
Tramping ponderously into a crowded congressional caucus room, John spoke of death and terror in the bowels of the earth. When he mentioned the widows and children of Centralia's dead, his voice sank to a whisper. He cried: "If we must grind up human flesh and bone in the industrial machine . . . then before God I assert that those who consume coal owe them and their families protection. ... I care not who in heaven or hell oppose it. . . ." Roaring, whispering or hammering the table, he always swiveled back to his target-Krug...
...John L. Lewis himself in any way responsible? He had seldom paid more than lip service to mine safety, and had let damning mine inspection reports go unread in his Washington headquarters. Though he was empowered to demand the closure of unsafe mines, he had never mentioned conditions at Centralia. The thought that he was in any way responsible apparently never crossed John Lewis's mind. Whoever else might be guilty, he was triumphantly, righteously innocent...
Observers conceded that the G.O.P. state administration's part in the Centralia mine disaster (see Labor) accounted for the loss of about 75,000 votes. For the rest, the Republicans could blame their own blunders and the political genius of the new Democratic boss, Jake Arvey. Little Jake's astute handling of the old Kelly machine and his timely dumping of Boss Ed himself had gone far to retrieve last November's disaster...