The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-06-01
Pres. Tighe in Frantic
Attacks on His Own
Rank and File
MEETS N.R.A. HEADS
Rank, File, for United
Action, Says Forbeck
BY MARGUERITE YOUNG
DAILY Worker Washington Bureau)

DAILY Worker Washington Bureau)
WASHINGTON, May 81
Between conferences with
government officials, sched-
uled in rapid-fire order in a
furious drive to prevent the
fast-developing national steel
strike, Mike Tighe, President
of the Amalgamated Association "a.
F. Of L. issued statements today
against the official committee cleo
ted by the recent A.A. convention.
Earl j. Forbeck, chairman, and
two other members of the rank and
file committee elected by the con-
vention, declared: We're not 60
ing to see a tumble this time, like
the auto strike was fumbled."
Asked whether they had seen
the strike call of the Steel and
Metal Workers Industrial Union,
FOrbeck told the Daily Worker
correspondent that they had.
"Are you going to cooperate
are you for concerted action of all
the steel workers in the striker"
Eyes, we're for concerted ac-
ton" Forbeck said. "We're pledged
TO it."
MIRA. Administrator johnson
summoned Tighe early this morn
ing and the union head announced
afterward that he hoped" the re-
vised steel code would be revised.
At the same time Tighe declared
that Forbeck and the other leaders
were irresponsible" and represent
nobody but themselves" F'orbeck
retorted: I'VE were elected by the
convention and we stay as repre-
sentatives of the rank and file of
the union until they take us out"
Observers generally believed it
would be necessary" from the point
of view Of the steel masters and
their government, for President
Roosevelt to step into the strike
situations. officials in town devoted
themselves to the steel strike and to
the threat of a national textile
strike today.
Rank and File Kept Out
The rank and file committee of
the A. A. accompanied Tighe and
Vice-President Miller to General
Johnson's outer office this after
noon, but the top officials went
in without the district leaders. The
latter we're sought during the day
by Chairman Wagner of the Ma
tional Labor Board, and were
stopped and talked to in the CORR
doris Of the N. R. A headquarters
by Father Francis J. Haas, of the
Labor Board.
1t was obvious that the govern
ment and top union officials were
attempting to confuse the Rank and
File Committee They said, however.
that they had prepared an open
letter to President Roosevelt, which
they would leave at the White
House late today as ''our last effort
at consultation-their last chance at
a reconciliation. It's up to them to
do something about our demands
or else ="
The rank and filters were entirely
unimpressed by Tighe's declaration
that the steel workers were prom
ised that the revised code would be
re-opened IF the demands are con
sidered worthwhile by General
Johnson"
They declared in a statement is
sued late last night that President
Roosevelt's statement concerning the
revision announced yesterday was
bunk" that his vague suggestion
that he would hold elections" in
various plants "has been proved
groundless, just so much bunk, by
the Weirton betrayal"
Cant Live on Promises"
we are unable to live on prom
iseS," continued the statement is
sued by Forbeck, Clarence Irwin of
the Sixth District and William J.
Spang of Fort Du Quesne. Our
patience is at an end. Hundreds of
thousands of workers in other in
dustries such as the captive mine
workers employed by the steel trust,
have told us they will strike with
US"
Recovery officials meanwhile ir-
resclutely continued to discuss-not
to press forward in Congresc-the
Wagner Industrial Adjustments Act
Open shop employers who desire to
stand pat on the status quo, insist
ing upon retaining company union
ism as is, without making promises
which workers might fight to en-
force, attacked the Wagner Bill and
at the same time attempted to drape
a red scare over all independent
unionism. James A. Emery. Counsel
Of the National Manufacturer Aszo-
citation. complained that the bill
would increase rather than decrease
industrial strife, and assailed Com
munistic unions. which. he charges,
continually foment labor disturb
anceS.'