Jack Battuello Memoir #1 - University of Illinois Springfield

Jack Battuello 2 1
I do know that he has already began some reforms that are very
interesting and very constructive. I believe him to be an honest
person, I bel.ieve him to possess some courage. I am sure that if
he'll continue to reform the United Mine Workers' structure, as he
has already shown in his initial attempts, that he'll probably restore
some dignity and honesty in the United Mine Workers. That's good
that thar is happening because originally the United Mine Workers
was the father of unionism in this country. From it came the American
Federation of Labor in its greatest development and its greatest
influence. From i.t came the CIO. The miners provided the sinews
and the money for the formation of the CIO. Praci5cally every organizer
in the beginning of that union was a coal miner. I participated
in it. And perhaps the United Mine Workers, under this new administrati..on--.if
it conti.nues in the same direction in which it i.s now
going--might again be the foundation of a revolutionary change within
the labor movement.
I'm hoping that will happen, because if the working class and the
poor people are concerned, if thc labor movement fails in the social
cause, ir: cannot hope to look elsewhere for hrlp. A good example is
the Viet Nam War. We were there without cause or wtthour rhyme,
Lt's needless to go into the casualties, and the deaths, and huge
expenditures, and the immorality that was brought about by that war.
It's sufficient to say that even the American people, who can be
beguiled very easily, were at one point, 76 per cent against that
war and yet, despite that, the labor movement and all of its influence,
in all of its branches, continued to support that war. In the latter
period of President Johnson's administration, ha had no support from
the public, ge-nerally speaking. He had only support of the labor
movement. And in the beginning of ~ixon's administration, he could
not have con~i.nued that war had not labor supported him in the continuation
02 that war. So we can say thar the labor movement in America
not only failed in its obligation to its members and to the working
class, but it failed in the common cause of
And I
can't think of a greater betrayal in the history of the United States
on the part of labor.
Q. It's very educational for me and very rewarding to come and visit
wirh you as I do from time to time despite my cweaty plus years involvement
in labor movements myself.
A. Ycs, I think I'd like to make one concluding statement. I'd like
to makc a plea, not only to the working class, to the labor unions,
but I'd like ta make a plea to society in general that as goes the
cause of the poor people, so goes the cause of the destiny of zhe
world. At the present moment, this society corrodes to its very
foundation, unless there's some drastic fundamental changes made
within society and irnmediarely so, then you can expect thar we will
become a particle of sand in the statc of oblivion.
Q. Thank you very much Jack.
END OF TAPE TWO
Jack Battuello Memoir -- Archives, University of Illinois at Springfield