Boyle Down

Whenever the U.S. Government did something he did not like, John L. Lewis, the colorful, powerful president of the United Mine Workers of America, would protest with outraged, rolling rhetoric. Last week his successor, W.A. ("Tony") Boyle, stood wordlessly before a Washington federal jury as he was pronounced guilty of embezzlement, conspiracy and illegally contributing to political campaigns. His silence, compared with Lewis' bombast, symbolized the fall of a once powerful union to a scandal-ridden ebb of influence. Boyle's conviction carries a maximum sentence of 32 years in jail and fines of $120,000.

During a two-year period, the U.M.W. improperly passed $49,250 in miners' money to politicians. Although the Democrats received most of the money, funds went to both parties--not an uncommon hedge for either industry or labor (see BUSINESS). Boyle argued that he was simply following the example of his mentor, Lewis, a onetime political kingmaker who blatantly wielded funds and votes for favored candidates. Boyle, 67, will now be barred from running for union office, although he cannot be ousted from his present job and will remain free on bail while his case is appealed.

The indictment and conviction of the U.M.W president followed a bloody union election contest between Boyle and Joseph A. ("Jock") Yablonski. Boyle won the election by a 2 to 1 margin, but Yablonski supporters have appealed the result. Less than a month after his defeat, Yablonski, his wife and daughter were murdered. His death has shadowed the union with charges that he was ordered killed after the bitter campaign.

No connection has ever been established between the Yablonski murders and Boyle or the U.M.W., but the resulting publicity helped contribute to Boyle's downfall. From a post-World War I membership of more than 600,000, the U.M.W has dropped to 180,000 members; critics have charged that the union has lagged on safety legislation and failed to push vigorously for black-lung benefits for disabled miners. Autocratic, out of touch, Boyle was left with little defense to offer those critics --or his federal prosecutors.

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