Evening star., 1936-01-01
LABOR NOW FACING
INTERNAL FIGHTS
Struggle for Control of Va.
rious Unions Will Make
1896 Vital Year.
BY FREEMAN E. MARSTON,
Cambridge Associates Writer.


traditional organization by trades OF
mass organization for mass produc-
ton industry-this Is the question
which is stirring the American Fed
Grafton of Labor as 1t l.ss rot been
stirred since It's founding in 1881. A
showdown is expected during 1896,
but It may be deferred. The craft
unionists are strongly intrenched; the
champions of industrial unionism are
aggressive: an in-the-open fight is in
prospect which promises 10 settle the
issue for many years to come and
its outcome will be of industry-vide
importance TO both management and
labor.
The issue was thought settled at
the A. F. of l.. Convention in 1884.
At that time. by virtually unanimous
vote. 1t was agreed that the industrial
unions we're 10 have the responsibility
of organizing the basic mass produc-
ton industries. The industrial Union
lists assert that 1t was hollow
triumph - that their organization
plans were nullified by the claims of
jealous trade union locals of jurisdic-
ton over the nucleus of skilled and
semi-Skilled workers necessary for
effective unionization by plants.
The issue again cropped into the
general news when the A. F. CT l..
delegates met In convention at At
lantic City last October. There was
a test vote in which the strongly in
trenched trade unionists mustered
nearly two-thirds of the total vote.
More dramatically, the family quarrel
was brought before public conscious
ness when burly Vice President John
L. Lewis. head Of the Mine Workers
and the more aggressive leader in the
industrial union movement, sWapped
punches with Vice President William
L. Hutcheson. craft-unioniSt president
of the Carpenters Union.
Failure of Unions Charged.
This fiare-up. Of course, was only
important as it emphasized to the
outside world the deep cleavage within
the federation. Lewis charged the
executive council of which he is
member of fagrantly ignoring 70 Of
the l02 mandates given it by the 1894
convention. In presenting his charges.
Lewis alleged that craft unionism has
brought us a record of Is years Of
constant, unbroken failure" III the
same tenor. the minority report Of
the Resolutions Committee stated:
We refuse to accept existing condi-
tions as evidence that the organization
policies of the A. F. of l.. have been
successful. The fact that it nas won
only 100000 workers out of 3D.
900. 900 after SIS years of acti'tty Is
condition that speaks for itself"
The big grievance of the industrial
unionists is that. as they claim. the
A. r. of L. muffed the unprecedented
opportunity offered by section IA OF
the national recovery act, and. more
recently, such benefits as might be
garnered under the national labor re-
lations act. They point out that since
1888 only 100000 workers have en-
tered the federation fold and of this
total IS per cent have joined indus
trial unions, l3 per cent local trade
and Federal unions and only % per
cent have been attached to craft
unions. More impediately the indus
trial unionistS see hope of taking long
strides If they are left free to gain
the adherence of the company unions
which fiowered so profusely in the
heyday of the N. r. A.
Many of these organizat tions, some
genuinely representing employees and
some formed under the guidance Of
management. are ripe for affiliation
with national organizations. For the
most part, the members of tho5e COM
pany organizations have no extensive
union tradition and are unacquainted
with trade union practice. The juris-
dictional disputes of the craft union
lists only puzzled them, in many in
stances, the proponents of industrial
unionism say, dissipating their inter-
est and strength.
Organization Drive Launched.
Shortly after the national Conven-
tion the Committee for Industrial
Organization was formed, with Lewis.
Sidney Hillman of the Amalgamated
Clothing Workers and David Dublinsky
of the International Ladies Garment
Workers as the moving spirits. 1t has
the backing of the seven leading in
duStrial unions and is reported to be
we'll financed. The formation of the
committee brought a sharp rebuke
from President William Green, who
warned of the serious consequences"
which might follow.
Although Lewis resigned from the
federation's Executive Council, no Sc
cession from the A. F. of L. by the
United Mine Workers or the other
rebellious industrial unions is pre-
dicted. These unions now are sup
posed to represent approximately 40
per cent of the federation member
ship. Before the resignation of Lewis
they had but two members of the
Executive Council of II.
The tactics now will be to go to
the country" to build from the
ground up. Ine aggreSSlVeneSS, skill
and financial backing which the Com
mittee for Industrial Organization will
be able to command makes it probable
that this can be done, probably not
in time to dominate the 1886 conven-
ton. but sufficiently so that the old
guard will be forced to capitulate to
some extent at least.
Outlook for Industrial Peace.
Just how much the champions of
industrial unionism will change long
established labor policies is not now
clear. They are termed "progressives"
and there is considerable sentiment |
for the establishment of real labor |
party" more or less on the English |
model. That, however, Is not a near
term prospect, since such develop
ment would follow rather than pre-
cede the building up of industrial
strength.
The immediate objectives of the
industrial unionists will be the or
ganization of the steel. auto, rubber