The Washington times., 1936-05-27
WORK GROUP
FINDS SELF IN
IN WHIRL
BY ]. EARLE MOSER

From indications recently re
vealed, the proposed meeting oi
the executive council of the
American Federation of Govern
ment Employees here would be
more for the purpose of straighten
ing out the organization itSe1
than it would be to cenSure Presl
dent Claude Babcock for his Re
publican national committee tie
up. Or at least, from the indica
tions, it should be.
Mr.. Babcock is accused by some
members of his executive council
as having exposed the A.F.G.E. to
what might be termed poor pubic
opinion, and injured it leglSla
lively, by releasing an antl-NeW
Deal piece which many Govern
ment workers believe contained
mostly pure truth - even II col
ored with sizzling adjectives. .,
However, the injury is there, II
is charged, because there are
many New Deal emergency work
ers and old line agency Democrats
who have been highly Offended
especially those who hold AT G E
membership cards. The fact tha'
the American Federation of Labor
has publicly patted the New DeaI
on the back, and through its ottl
cials is inviting ALL. members ttc
attend Democratic rallies through
out the country-where they may
nav one dollar for the title OF
Roosevelt Nominator"-iS held tc
be no precedent.
The sour pickle the Federal
group is in, however, is that Mr.
Babcock faces executive council
discipline for the same legislative
injury" offense from which the Pan
anna Canal Lodge was suspended
sometime ago, when it figuratlVely
"blew its mouth off" about the A
F. G. ELS part in getting the leave
bills passed. Criticism OF Mr.. Bah
cock at that time was held leg
islative injury" and out went the
lodge. Now it's demanding the sus
pension be lifted, since Mr.. Bah
cock made the same offense. =.
And everybody's mixed up. II
seems. The current crisis mas
caused the AAA lodge, No. 116, tc
issue the same type of resolution
against the national prexy thai
caused the Panama Canal custer
so that technically, similar charges
should be placed against it. Fur
ther however. it develops that the
staid old Civil Service lodge has
also issued a drastic blast, which
according to precedent would place
such A. F. G. E. StalWartS as James
G, Yalen, James Baugh and Cecl
E. Custer under suspension II the
matter were followed to its end.
Perhaps the A. F. G. E., if this
trend continues, will have to, SClS
pend itself all around, then snake
hands with itself, and start all
over.
Durand Siege
On another front the Federal
Power Commission has been dis
patched a letter by a committee
representing the Federation OF
Architects, Engineers, Chemists
and Technicians, after inability
to see Vice Chairman Basil Manly
The committee is seeking to Sc
cure the reinstatement Of Robert
Durand, an F. A. E. T. c. mem
ber. whom it is charged was free
from FPC for his union ardor
Three proposals have been placed
before Mr.. Manly by letter: IA
hearing before FPC to arrange for
arbitration, at which Mr.. Durano
and the committees representa-
tives would be present; 2-An out
right demand for Mr.. Durand's
reinstatement; 3-That an impair
tial board be asked to take the
case if the union cannot outargue
FPC.
John Donovan, well-known labor
figure when at NRA, has written
'NOw, MIR. Commissioner, it
becomes our duty to inform you
not with any intent to threaten
or coerce, but for the protection
of Mr.. Durand's rights. that
we shall be unable to send fur.
ther delegations with the vain
proposal to negotiate with you.
We shall find ourselves unable
to take mo- for an answer by the
Commission to our proposals
for settlement"
Musical Note