Lewis versus Howat: An Analysis of Labor Rhetoric, Education, and Class Privilege in Early Twentieth Century Mining Politics Main Menu The Project: Maxwell, Lewis, and Howat United Mine Workers of America Unions A map of UMWA Unions and their District locations. History of the UMWA Who was Hearl Maxwell? A brief biography of the life of Hearl Maxwell, the southeast Kansas miner who collected the information used in this project. Who was Alexander Howat? A brief biography detailing the life of Alexander Howat. Who was John L. Lewis? A brief biography detailing the life of John L. Lewis. Lewis versus Howat An overview of the source of conflict between Lewis and Howat. Lewis versus Howat: A Timeline A timeline detailing all documents from the Hearl Maxwell Collection that related to the dispute between John L. Lewis and Alexander Howat. Lewis versus Howat: Political Action Howat answers President John L. Lewis, circa 1925 The main themes in Howat’s reply to Lewis. Labor Rhetoric and Class Hierarchy Howat and Lewis at a Convention, circa 1922 Education's Role in Rhetoric, Class, and Privilege Conclusion Works Cited and Consulted

Formality in Writing

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In the image above, you can follow the trend of words “president,” “mr,” “dear,” “sir,” and “brother.” While these words may seem common or normal for these types of documents, they are important to note, because they indicate a certain level of formality and give the notion of a chain of authority. The formality of these documents are very important to note, because most miner did not have the best access to advance education. If a miner was educated, then he would be able to better articulate his plight, which in turn would make others more willing to hear their argument and understand it (Hoover 380). Whether it was through formal education or not, these miners had learned about grammar and how to structure their sentences to make the most sense. The words “president” and “sir” indicate levels of authority within the communication; therefore, there was authority in their organization. This is very important to note, because most rebelling groups start out with no sense of organization; if they cannot form a hierarchy, then the organization will not accomplish anything (Caccia 176). This organization has a strong hierarchy and, because of the formalities used, it can be assumed that those who in higher positions have the respect of their subordinates. The uses of these words are mainly in the letters and only at the beginning of the Howat’s reply to Lewis, however, Howat continuously addresses Lewis as “president.” This indicates that while Howat completely disagrees with Lewis’s political stance, he does respect his authority within the union. 
 

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  1. The Project: Maxwell, Lewis, and Howat Jamie McDaniel

Contents of this tag:

  1. Lewis versus Howat
  2. Who was Alexander Howat?
  3. Who was John L. Lewis?