The Indianapolis times., 1930-06-21
Calling Mr.. VOL

IT was inevitable that sooner or later somebody
of real importance in the American Federation OF
Labor would "calr Matthew Vol for assuming to
speak in the name of the organized workers OF the
United States.
There is no denying the fact that the casual OBJ
server not on the "n inevitably would conclude that
Matthew Won vice-president of the American FEEDER
alton of Labor is the "big noise" in the American
labor movement No other representative of labor
so often makes the newspaper headlines with inter-
views addresses, and articles.
The man on the street naturally would feel that
when Wol issues an ex-cathedra utterance it means
that American labor as a unity has been utilizing
Wolls vocal chords to make itself articulate. Does
the fact that Wol is epresident of the American
Federation of Labor mean that he represents vast
block of American labor?
Not at ALL Status in the bureaucracy of the Amer
ican Federation of Labor has necessary relation
ship whatever to ones numerical backing in the ranks
of active labor 1t is of the fearful and wonderful
by-products of the federation system of government
The leader of each constituent union has as much
theoretical power if he heads group of thousand
workers as he does if he represents hundred thou
sand.
Matthew Won breaks into the hierarchy of the
A. F. of L. the head of the Photo -Engravers union
"a skilled craft union with some $500 members of
incnations capitalistic than proletarian This
is precisely the group for which Matthew Woll speaks
if he speaks for any. We have no means of knowing
how large minority in his own union dissents from
his views
Mr.. Woll may fool the public, but he does not
deceive the members of the A. F. of L. acquainted
with the facts Therefore, when Woll wrote to
Senator Hatfield praising the Hawley- -Smoot tariff
bill, many members of the A. F. of l. resented Wols
apparent effort to make it that American labor
with the tariff and that Woll vas voicing the
sentiments of the Federation.
Some were highly indignant. George L. Berry,
president Of the International Union of Printing
Pressmen-a much powerful union than that
which Wol represents-wrote Woll a letter saying
that the latter should have resigned from the fedora
ton before writing his letter to Senator Hatfield
President Berry said in part in his letter to Vol:
by careful perusal of your letter, it appears at
least to that the impression definitely is intended
to be made that you speaking for, and that the
American wage earners in perfect harmony with
the Grundy bill If this is not the intention there
would have been no value in transmission of your
communication. :.
Il think it very unwise of you to advocate the
present Grundy tariff BILL in view of the official posi-
ton you hold in the federation. You are and it is
generally known the vice president of the A. F. of L.
The use of your name in connection with support of
what l. as least conceive to be the most atrocious
tariff revision ever considered by congress- will leave
upon many the impression that the A. F. of L. is
supporting the Grundy bill, and of course as you
know, that isn't true
I'm my judgment, if you felt it your duty as
citizen to support the Grundy BILL you should have
resigned from the e-presdency of the A. F. of L.
that the federation would have been saved the
humiliation of having any for even second
conclude that the American labor movement was in
support of this bin"