Evening star., 1935-12-10
RAILROAD UNIONS
FIGHT LEWIS PLAN
81 labor" Takes Up CudgeIs
for Green and Craft
Organizations.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

EIdLIOdo laooE ORGANIZATIONS, often
referred to as the aristocracy Of
American workers, have broken with
John L. Lewis and taken up the
| cudgels for william Green of the
American Federation Of Labor.
Through an editorial today in the
weekly periodical published here called
Labor. which is the official organ Of
the standard railroad labor organiza-
| tionS Of the country, Mr.. Lewis is
| bluntly told that he is hurting the
cause of working men rather than
helping it. The article further dis
closes little-known story to the eff
feet that the Guffey coal law might
have been killed by the craft unions,
but that they stepped aside to help
the mine workers.
The editorial policy Of Labor is de-
| termined by a committee from three
| groups Of officers of the Brotherhood
of Locomotive Engineers, Brotherhood
Of Electrical workers, Association Of
MachinistS the Railroad Telegraph
ers, the switchmen's unions and the
! maintenance Of way employees.
| Workers Foes Delighted.
President Lewis Of the United
| Mine Workers" says the editorial,
should cease sniping at the American
| labor movement. His tactics delight
the National Association of Manufac-
turers and other enemies OF the work.
ers, but no one else. If Mr.. Lewis has
any surplus ammunition he should
use it on the foes of labor, not on its
| friends.
''Mr. Lewis would have us believe
that industrial unionism-that is, one
union for all employees in each in
dustry-is the salvation of the Ameri-
can workers. There is nothing in the
record of the last so years to sustain
that claim.
"Mr. Lewis own union, the United
Mine Workers, is an industrial union
and it has had the advantage of Mr..
Lewis leadership for Is or Is years.
Surely if industrial unionism is a
panacea for the ills that beset Ameri-
can workers, then Mr. Lewis union
will furnish a shining example.
But less than three years ago the
United Mine Workers were practically
on the rocks 1t was saved by the
labor provisions of the N. R. A., and
those labor provisions were adopted
by Congress at the suggestion Of the
American Federation of Labor and
the railroad brotherhoods.
Crafts Saved Lewis Union.
I'm other words, after it had been
buffeted by the depression for three
years, Mr.. Lewis industrial union was
saved by the craft unions which had
succeeded in holding their ranks in
tact during the most trying period in
our country's history.
when the NJ r. A. collapsed, Mr..
Lewis asked for the enactment of the
Guffey act which insures to his mem
bers the right of collective bargaining
in the coal industry. Many Of the
craft unions felt the proposal. as Mr..
Lewis drafted it, was unjust to them.
Had they pressed their opposition they
could have defeated the legislation.
Instead, they stepped aside and urged
Congress to go to the rescue Of the
mine workers.
Such generous conduct would seem
TO merit gratitude, but, instead, Mr..
Lewis is going up and down the land
proclaiming that the American Fed.
Grafton of Labor is too slow for him,
and that it must change it policies TO
conform to his ideas.
"Of course, the American labor
movement will do no such thing. 1t
will continue in the future, as in
the past, to formulate its programs
in an orderly way in conventions
called for that purpose. Attempts to
| coerce it will not be effective.
Both Systems Utilized.
Labor is not condemning in.
dustrial unionism, and it is not exalt-
ing craft unionism For years both
system have operated harmoniously
within the ranks of the labor move
ment. The workers have used either
system, or combination of both,
as the exigencies OF particular situa-
ton seemed to require.
There is no reason why that policy
should not continue, and it will con-
tinue if Mr.. Lewis will kindly check
/ his guns at the door and endeavor
| to remember that when he enters
a convention of the American la
/ Dor movement he is Just another
trade unionist,' free to present his
views with all the vigor he possesses,
but clearly obligated to do nothing
which will jeopardize the common
good.
IF Mr.. Lewis continues his snip
ing he will undoubtedly annoy the
American labor movement, but in the
end he will be the chief sufferer.
Unfortunately, the United Mine Work.
ers may also be seriously damaged.
Labor regrets that it is COM
PEELED to comment on Mr.. Lewis
conduct in this blunt fashion, but
when an individual, or group OF
individuals, pursues course calcu-
lated to impede the progress of the
American labor movement, the time
for soft words has passed"
Lewis Strength in Roosevelt.
The foregoing spirited attack is an
interesting illustration of how group
| Ol h1J G114O1Ac. NOAAONAC& W NC aAA4O44S
Americas most powerful, are begin
ming to view the internecine warfare
initiated by Mr.. Lewis. 1t may mean
that, when the Guffey bill is declared
invalid by the Supreme Court, as seems
inevitable, opposition to an amended
law, instead Of support, may be forth.
coming from the craft unions.
Mr.. Lewis main strength is derived
from the aid given his union by the
Roosevelt administration in the word
ing of the Guffey law. For, without
the Guffey law, as has often been
pointed out, the membership drive of
the mine workers would be less effec-
tive today.
The mine workers officers, by rea-
son of increased revenue from dues,
have been able to wage war on their
brethren of the craft unions. The
railroad brotherhoods have not taken
their Y1raseT1t stand aOoiuSf Mr TauriS