The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-10-06

Hands on Auto lndustryl"
The A. f. OF L. delegates are told
not to attempt to tamper with this
American Plan" thru efforts to or
ganize any workers in Detroit during
the stay of the convention here. They
are especially warned to keep their
hands off the auto industry.
In the whole history of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor, it is doubt.
full if any convention has ever re-
eeived such a hostile greeting from
the local employers press. The labor
delegates are told that to organize
Detroit's workers is a destructive"
proceeding. They are told to "re-
serve their strength for employment
in places where there is real CON
structive work for them to do"
A Flat Challenge.
The editorial greeting under the
heading "As the A. F. of L. Conven-
ton Opens does not say where this
place is to be found.
On the eve of the publication of
this editorial the delegates to the
Building Trades Department had
pledged themselves to do all in their
power to strengthen various crafts
during their stay in the city. The
delegates met with the local build
ing trades council, and even Robert
Dissman, the fraternal delegate from
Germany to the Metal Trades Depart
ment, met with and spoke before a
mass meeting OF German-speaking
machinists in an effort to strengthen
their organization.
The question of the organization of
the auto industry has also been refer
red by the Metal Trades Department
to the A. F. of L. convention and will
no doubt receive some consideration.
Evidently no matter how slight that
consideration may be, 1t will not be
pleasing to the local open shop inter-
ests and their subsidized press.
Boasts of Open Shops.
The Detroit Freel> Press editorial,
after pointing out what it claims to
be "the modern character of the fac
tories, the liberality Of the wage
scales and the general condition of
prosperity among both employees and
employers and the harmony Of their
relationships" declares to the A. F.
of L. delegates, that "the remarkable
situation which awaits their examina-
ton has developed under the Amer
lean open shop plan which. except for
Los Angeles, perhaps, is nowhere
more generally in use than it is in
this city"
The Detroit Free Press then issues
its challenge to the convention in
these words:
Challenges Convention.
Nothing that can possibly benefit
anybody will be accomplished by any
attack upon the American plan in
Detroit. We say this because there
is prevalent rumor that the heads
of the American Federation are con
sidering such an attack in the form
Of an effort to 'unionize' the town.
"lf those officials undertake to
feature the convention OF their organ.
ization in this city by attempting to
camper with industrial arrangements
that are satisfactory and beneficial to
all concerned and are basis for the
present state OF general comfort
among the people of Detroit, they will
be starting a destructive movement
which will be an assault upon the
community in which they are guests.
II 1t is even partly successful, It will
hurt Detroit its people and its bust.
ness, particularly the automobile bust
ness. 1t will seriously injure labor.
1t will be an act OF general unfriend-
Illness toward this city.
Hope A. F. Of /. Heads Understand.
1T is to be hoped that the heads OF
the A. F. of L.. generally level-headed
men, have abroad enough vision to
realize this, and will withstand any
temptation to attempt a move for the
mere advancement OF the size of their
organization, and will reserve their
strength for employment in places
where there is real constructive work
for them to do"
The so-called American plan" is at.
tackled in practically every report
made TO the delegates here, whether.
in the reports submitted by the heads
OF the various departments and espe-
cially in the annual report of the A.
F. of LIS executive council. Labor's
open hostility to the American plan"
seems to have gotten under the skins
OF the local open shop" interests.
They do not relish labor leaders com
ing among them, even whens they
camouhage themselves as bankers, in
surance and real estate men, which
are the new duties assumed by the Of
ficialdom Of labor, in the words OF
President James O'Connell OF the
Metal Trades Department.
Upon his arrival In the city for the
opening of the convention, President
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