Evening star., 1934-07-18

Eleventh-hour developments having
intervened to prevent catastropnes IN
the three other major labor conf1icts
which menaced the new deal-threat-
ened strikes in the automobile, steel
and railroad ndustries-Washingt
is wondering whether Roosevelt luck
will not eventually keep the. Pacific
Coast crisis from drifting into dis
aster. Administrationists think main
| ly in terms of the economic woe and
waste, human misery and possible
bloodShed that would flow from ag-
erayation of the strike. But they're
not unmindful of the grave political
consequences that might ensue. 1t
would undeniably embarrass the Dem
| ocrats to go to the country on the
platform of the new deals more
abundant life" while industrial strife
was paralyzing the Pacific Coast coun-
try with the possibility of its spread
across the continent. For all these
reasons, it may be expected that no
effort will be spared to bring peace to
the embattled area with a minimum
of delay and a maximum OF satisfac-
ton to all concerned.
EVERYBODY is curious to know TO
lust what extent Communism, either
of home brew or foreign inspiration,
is responsible for the troubles at San
Francisco. In many American labor
conflicts during recent years, Com
munist influence has either been
strongly suspected or actually detect
ed. The Reds always discern OPP
portunities for mischief when workers
are restive or on strike. The FEEDER
alton of Labor has long been aware
of the Red menace and is sleeplesSly
on guard against efforts to promote
! Communist ideals. Recent statements
by Communist organizers in Califor-
MIA strongly suggest that the Reds
| look upon the Coast State as fruitful
| territory for the planned revolution
! ary movement and that their fingers
are in the upheaval now threatening
| the security of life and property
/ throughout the San Francisco area.
Yesterdays descent on radical
hauntS in San Francisco leaves little
doubt that the Reds are regarded as
! the handspring of what Gen. john
/ son calls civil war" on the Coast.
The California press is almost a unit
! in denouncing Communism as the
root cause.
! One of the respected veterans Of
| the American labor movement, 30
year-old Andrew Furuseth, president
| of the International Seamen's Union
and secretary of the Sailors Union of
the Pacific. is now in San Francisco,
which is his headquarters when he is
not at the American Federation of
Labor in Washington. Senator Henrik
| ShipStead of Minnesota once described
/ Andy FuruSeth as the smartest man
| in the United States. OF Norwegian
birth and Viking background, Furuseth
! has been a power in the American
shipping industry for half a century.
Widely beloved by Seamen throughout
the merchant marine, his influence is
always on the side of conciliation. In
the crisis along the Pacific water
front his friends feel sure that the
grand old man of the labor movement
is doing his utmost to see that the
strike is peacefully conducted and
| that no opportunity is lost to re-
establish normal conditions. The
other day. though In enfeebled health
Furuseth made his first sirplane trip
from Oakland TO Los Angeles to attend
a meeting of striking seamen at San
Pedro.
1t looks as if the political campaign
may get rough. Julian Mason. vice
president of the National Republican
Builders, publishes the following let
ter from Poushkeepsie: AT ths New
! York EtAta eenatnrial elee&ion had