Evening star., 1930-12-09

Continued From First Pase.)
Labor" at the same time pointing out
that Doak Is not member OF the en-
gineers' brotherhood.
Break Is COnjectured.
The railroad engineers official is the
first railroad labor representative to
give public expression to the feeling
aroused in railroad labor circles by the
announced views of President Green.
Whether the announcement presages
an open breach between the American
Federation of Labor and the railroad
brotherhoods was 0 matter Of co1jec-
ture here today.
In his statement Laughlin pointed
out that Doak's organization. the
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainfnef1, has
had under consideration for some time
a proposal to join the American Fed
Grafton OF Labor. This movement was
to have eliminated at a convention at
Cleveland in May. What effect Green's
attitude may have on the merger pro-
posal is q moot question.
In his statement Lsughlii1 pointed
out that all the four big transporta-
ton brotherhoods we're organized before
the Labor Federation came into ex-
istence In 1856. The Engineers Brother
hood was formed in 1853 and has a
membership now Of S5 1000. the Order
of Railway Conductors was organized
in 1868 and now has a membership of
so 900, the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Firenen and Enginemen was organized
in 1873 and has membership Of no.
900 and the Brotherhood of Railroad
Trainmen was organized in 1883 and
has a membership of $4,000. Total
membership of the four groups is 440.-
600, whereas the American Federation
of Labor lists 2,933,545 members.
Applications Never Acted Upon.
"The four transportation brother
hoods" Laughl,n said, ION account of
the nature of their employment, have
never been in a position to engage in
boycott or to participate In q sympa-
thetic strike. Consequently, for a num-
ber Of years they could not have very
consistently become affiliated with the
American Fede alton of Labor.
About 1920 both the Brotherhood Of
Locomotive Engineers and the Order
OF Railway Conductors made applica-
ton for affiliation with the federation,
but for some cause or other the appli-
cations were never acted upon and these
organizations never were admitted
'At the time the legislation creating
the Department Of Labor was under
consideration by Congress the move
rnent had the substantial backing Of the
railroad brotherhoods and has had the
substantial support of these organiEa-
tions since that time"
Federation Groups Back DOak.
Laughlin called attention to the fact
that Canada does not restrict its
ministry of labor to members of the
American Federation Of Labor, which ID
an international organization. OF three
ministers of labor chosen from the
ranks of labor, only one was afflliated
with the American Federation of Labor.
he said. One of the others was affili-
ated with the Brotherhood of Railroad
Trainmen - Doak's organization-and
the other was a member of the Brother
hood Of Locomotive Engineers.
The railroad labor offlcial stated that
the chief executives Of seven unions af-
filiated with the American Federation
Of Labor have Endorsed Doak for Sec
retary Of Labor. These unions. he said,
are the Blacksmith, Stationary Firemen
and Enginemen, Masters. Mates and Pi-
lots. Railway Clerks, Railroad Telegra-
pliers, Maintenance of Way Employees
and Railroad Signalmen. This group
represents more than 250,000 members.
He said the Pennsylvania Railroad
Shopmen's Association and the Penn
sylvania Railway Clerks Association,
with q combined membership of more
than $4,000, also have Endorsed Doak.