Evening star., 1933-10-12
MONEY INITIATION
OPPOSED BY A.F.L.
Unrestricted Plan Formally
Acted On-LoyaIty
Given N. R. A.
Continued From First Page.)

fare-ups against the men who now run
the federation.
The last of these came late yesterday
when Lewis suffered defeat In his at.
tempt to increase the membership OF
the federation's ruling executive coun-
Gil from IL to %. First, he accepted
q substitute to his resolution that would
have fixed the number at 18-and then
he saw even that showed under by q
2-to-1 majority.
His plea that the council should be
enlarged so new, vigorous blood could
be added availed nothing in the face
of opposition by the present powers
that be.
Lewis agreed that despite defeat he
would "go along" with the federation
'in these days Of recovery"
Another test was resolution that
would have instructed the executive
council, in effect, to ignore the re-
covery act and ask Congress this VIM
ter to pass a compulsory six-hour-day.
f1ve-day week bill.
Green favored 3o-hour week in the
N. r. A. codes, but wanted q chance,
first to try to get that. So the con-
vention referred the resolution to the
council with instructions that 1t seek
a 3O-hour bill in Congress only II that
hour limitation were not written into
the code.
Machine Rule" Debated.
CHARGES of machine rule" and q
warning that the rank and file OF
workers were demanding increased rep
resentation in the councils OF labor
rang through the hall as the debate
ragged over the Lewis resolution to en-
large the council.
George L. Berry. president Of the
Pressmen's Union, and Charles P.
Howard, president Of the Typographical
Union, Joined the insurgents to the
extent Of proposing the compromise OF
is members on the council.
A committee which had reported ad-
yersely on the Lewis resolution had
little more than made its report before
Thomas Kennedy, secretary-treasurer
of the Mine Workers. and Martel OF
Detroit were condemning it. Martel de-
scribed the ruling body as "a council
of ruling statesmen" and demanded
new blood.
machine methods" he asserted,
elected the Holy family OF the Fed
Grafton. ;,
Rising to defend the smaller council,
Daniel ]. Tobin, president Of the Team
sters' Union and the federations cand1-
date for Secretary of Labor under
President Roosevelt, engaged in a heated
argument with Lewis.
Referring to the provision Of the
Lewis resolution that would nave al
lowed no one union more than single
member of the council exclusive OF
federation officers, Tobin said conditions
might arise under such phraseology
which would endanger the tenure OF
Green.
That statement, Lewis said. was the
ssnluttering Of man who knows not
Of that whereof he speaks"
IT think President Green knows that
the United Mine Workers, to which union
he belongs, has no candidate for the
presidency Of the American Federation
of Labor except William Green" Lewis
said, silencing reports that he might
oppose Green.
Meanwhile, delegation representing
tary Ickes to build q fire under their
state and local governments" II they
wanted the public works program
speeded up.
Expenditures Criticized.
Calling upon the public works admin
tstrator ct his Office, the group, led by
M. ]. McDonough, president OF the
building trades union, criticized the
construction expenditures.
The Federal Government will not
take the responsibility for delay" they
quoted Ickes as replying. It will see
that the responsibility Is placed where
It belongs"
Although the convention Tuesday
sought to end one conflict Of its MEM
bership by voting down a jurisdicticnal
contention Of the Brewery Workers
Union, spokesmen for the union were
still voicing their resentment openly.
The convention held that teamsters,
firemen and engineers working IN brew
cries should join their own trade unions
and not the industry's union. But Jo-
seph Obergfell, treasurer Of the brewery
workers, told newspaper men fatty that
he did not expect to abide by that
decision.
I'VE are going to keep on organizing
every one employed in the brewing
business, Obergfell said. And posses
sion is nine points Of the law"
This controversy has headed up one
of the most vital issues confronting the
federation-whether unions shall Or
ganize by industries or nationally by
trades In addition, 1t involves the juris-
dictional question which has precipt-
tated numerous strikes recently as two
or more unions claimed Jurisdiction
over workers.
To curb these strikes, E. F. McGrady,
Assistant Secretary of Labor, has al
ready informed several unions that Con-
gress would be asked for authority to
settle jurisdictional strikes unless labor
itself could meet its obligations.