The Washington times., 1935-10-16
LABOR YOUTH
MOVEMENT
QUASHED

ATLANTIC CITY, N. j., Oct
Is UN.SJ.-Fearful that inaug
uration Of a labor youth move
ment might be interpreted as q
Communistic gesture, the Ameri
can Federation of Labor conven
ton today voted down q pro
posal to that end.
Spirited debate preceded the
final vote, and by a narrow mar
gin proponents failed to have II
recommitted to the resolutions
committee. The committee re
port, read by John B. Frey, head
Of the metal trades. said:
'Tt Is well known that ad-
Vocates Of Communism, FasciSm
and NaziiSm are trying to set
MP q youth movement in this
country, and for that reason
the committee recommends non
concurrence"
Frank MarteI, head Of the De
&roit Federation of Labor, speak
ing in support Of the proposal To
establish trade union workers
schools and labor sports leagues
demanded Of the convention:
"Are we going to desert the
youth of America to the Y. M.
C. A. and the Boy Scouts? They
could very easily be converted
into Fascist organizations by
those who control those two or
EanizatiOnS."
/ REPORT ATTACKED
julius Sochman, vice president
of the Ladies' Garment Workers
asserted the wording of the report
was unfortunate in@ftS implica
ton that the union youth move
ment was tied up with Commu
nism." He urged reconsideration
Of the problem by the committee
Morris Fine, Of Chicago, heat
Of the delivery workers, who wa:
one Of the sponsors Of the idea
asserted:
"Tf we don't get the youth,
some other group will"
Matthew Woll, A. F. Of L. vict
president and chairman Of resolu
tions, who only yesterday wa:
forced to resign as acting presi
dent of the National Civic Fedora
ton, anti-radical organization, de
plored the fact that I'VE can't turn
out language to suit everybody
and said it was acceptable to him
to refer the matter back.
Mr.. Frey, backed UP by Presi
dent william Green, however
jammed the unfaVorable report
through.
Craft Union Fight Today
Today, the A. F. Of L. conven'
ton reaches the fight between the
theory Of mass organization as
against craft unions. Various nose
counts by both sides indicated
that the craft unionistS, backed
by Mr.. Green and the present
leadership, would win out. 1t was
not expected that the Lewis
froces could marshal more than
$4,000 votes, as against around
$4,000 for those favoring organiza
ton by specific type Of occupa
ton.
On the score Of the executive
councils proposal to amend the
A. F. of L. constitution so as tc
bar communists, however, Mr.
Lewis thought he had good
chance of winning out. It will
take a two-thirds vote of the con
vention to put the Green-SponSor
ed amendment across. Mr.. Lewis
has 1000 votes in his United Mine
Workers organization. The Anal
gamated Colthing Workers and the
Ladies' Garment Workers with
nearly 5000 more are expected tc
line up against the proposal.
Trading for Votes
BY adroit trading elsewhere
Mr.. Lewis. expected to pick ur
enough additional votes to builc
up a one-third opposition.
Mr.. Lewis, who has been fre
quently mentioned as an aSpirant
for the presidency Of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor, is sale
by his intimates to have no i'm
mediate desire for that post.
He does want to embarrass the
Green leadership, however, and il
using these two issues as a me
diun.
The industrial-craft fight comes
up this afternoon under a specia
rule. There will be prolonged de
bate and a final vote is not ex
pected until tomorrow.