Montana labor news., 1933-05-25

After the executive council of the American Fedora
ton of Labor had devoted several hours of its recent
sion in Washington to "bawing out" Matthew Wol, at
the demand of certain unions which had suggested that
they would withdraw affiation if he not disciplined
it discovered that President Roosevelt still believed
that Wol and not President Green directing the
a policy of the Federation The question shot at Green
in White House Conference with the council-"Bl why
don't you and May get your heads together so that your
stories jibe?"-was answered by Wolls triumph in
writing the Back-Perns industrial control bill into an
embargo to the heart of Wols tariff lobby
and the tariff committee of the National Association of
Manufacturers The tariff lobbyists knew that this en-
barge clause would kill the whole measure because Roose
velt could not sign an embargo bill Just when he was ask
ing the world to let down its trade barriers.
Then sprang up umors that the Administration would,
very reluctantly ask the country to accept sales tax to
finance the interest and sinking fund for any bonds is
sued to carry public works construction program It
known that Roosevelt had spoken out against sales
tax as being burden the of the people
1t known that organized labor for the past 10 years.
had fought against the sales tax Debate in the House
and Senate during Hoovers attempt to sales tax
had shown that entrenched wealth in this country want
ed sales tax as first step toward abolition of income
and inheritance taxes But all at there appeared the
idea that Roosevelt longer felt that his opposition to
the scheme of organized privilege to impose sales tax
was backed by effective forces His support had weak
ened.
Now startling disclosure is going the rounds It is
that Roosevelt is quoted by highly responsible person as
saying that William Green personally suggested to Roose
welt that public works program "can be financed by
sales tax Roosevelt is represented being astonshed
at this unexplained reversal of attitude by the head of the
A. F. Of when the council made no such suggestion when
it visited the White House.
Green is represented at Federation headquarters, as
waiting to the Roosevelt program for public works and
other employment before saying anything about the sales
tax story or about the Roosevelt plan.
If Green did in fact tell Roosevelt-in contradiction to
the decisions of the Federation conventions sales
tax would be acceptable then the question arises as to
what led Green to make astonishing statement If
Wol had made it, nobody would have been surprised The
tariff lobby and sales tax lobby very closely related
But the personal phase of the matter is of slight import
ance in comparison with the bald fact that Roosevelt
bames the highest executive of the A. F. of for his own
uncertainty as to whether organized labor will stand by
him in resisting this tax upon the poor
Many labor officials say the idea is impossible that
Roosevelt must have misunderstood Green and that un-
der no circumstances whatever labor be driven to con-
sent even by silence to pay further tax the necessaes
of life Now that the President has sent to Congress the