Evening star., 1933-09-01

More than 100000 new members
represented by some 800 locals char
tered since July /, have joined the
American Federation of Labor during
the past two months. So the A. F. of
L. will celebrate next Mondays 49th
anniversary Of Labor day in festive
mood. Its membership, severely hit
greatest boom in 13 years Last
month the federation issued more char
tiers for locals" than in any month
during the World War period, when.
from 1916 to 1920. 100000 names
were added to the roll. The all-time
peak membership of 100000 was
reached at that time. A year ago,
1850 900 workers were paying A. F. of
L. dues. Today some half million or
more are carried on the dues sus-
pended" roll. The way things are now
going. the federation in 1884 may ag-
gregate a grand army of 100000 Or
will speak at Akron on Labor day. is
now at the head of an intensive men,
bership drive, which is, of course, high
ly favored by the collective bargaining
section of the national industrial re-
covery act. The A. F. of L. officially
dates Labor day from its Chicago con-
vention of 1884 although the holiday
was not established by act of Congress
until 10 years later The honor Of first
suggesting Labor day belongs to the
Central Labor Union of New York,
which proposed and celebrated it in
1882.
Gen. Johnson. as star performer Of
monster Labor Day celebration in Chi
cago, is expected to make one of the
most important N. r. A. pronounce
ments that have yet fallen from his
busy lips. He is at the top of his
oratorical form now, after the weeks of
almost incessant platform and radio ex-
perience he's had since July. AS his
public utterances indicate, Johnson's
diction on formal occasions. though
consistently full Of punch, Is notably
devoid Of the hard-boiled wisecracks
with which frequent quotation has
made the public familiar. Such sallies
are usually reserved for the generals
Tuesday and Friday conferences with
the press, which now rival President
Roosevelts newspaper seances at the
White House in both attendance and
popularity. johnson fences eagerly and
adroitly with the 100 or $50 scribes
who badger him on these occasions. He
never refuses answers to questions. no
matter how pointed, though sometimes,
like the Presidents statements, john
sons are "off the record" Newspaper
men and women prefer N. r. A. to
White House conferences for one rea-
son-Gen. johnson provides chairs. At
the White House, as they say in the
theater Tor used to-, there's S. R. O.
(standing room only. General Coun-
sci Richberg of N. r. A. will be a
Labor Day speaker at Memphis.
President Roosevelt in telegraphic
greetings to the recent reunion OF 1893
Worlds Fair newspaper men at the
Chicago Century OF Progress. recalled
that as "a boy of H." he, too, was at
the great White City 40 years ago.
Among those who assembled to rem
inisce" about pre-Capone Chicago were
Humorist George Ade. Cartoonist John
T. McCutcheon: former Postmaster
General Harry New and Malcolm Nc
Dowell. former secretary of the Board
of Indian Commissioners at Wash
ington.
A member of the Washington bar. re-
Gently on vacation in Maine. ran across
a farmer who was lament;ng his banks
unwillingnesS to advance money to help
cry. why don't you apply to the
R. F.. CO" the Washingtonian sug-
gested. IF there ever was a self
liquidating loan, it's the kind you seek"
X X
At an American Bar Association
meeting once upon time a certain
subcommittee was headed by Robert E.
Lee Saner who was flabbergasted to
discover that his associate on the COM
mittee bore the name Of Ulysses s.
Grant Cherry. Saner, former Bar As
ISOLATION president, is Texan. Cherry
Is a South Dakota Democrat, who once
sought a seat in the United States Sen
ate. II he ever gets there, he'll be en-
titled to a card reading U. s. s. U. s. G.
Cherry.
DR.. Willard L. Thorp. director Of the
Bureau OF Foreign and Domestic Com
merce in the Department Of Commerce,
has gone collegiate In Washington. He
scorns to wear . hat and not long ago
even turned up bareheaded at . diplo-
matte reception. Having come into the
administration straight from the chair
Ct econc mics at Amherst. he evidently
brought his campus habit with him.