The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-07-10

or Gt1e N9Glonal 1upS CompAuys 6 subsidiary of the United States Steel Corporation, that in It's Mc- Keesport, Pa, plant there aFc more than Q thousand classlficas tlons on which wages are based. How 60 different unions each with its own interest to guard, could hope to function, even if organiza- ton were to be permitted, in that plant I cannot imagine. At any rate after the Federation convention adjourned and despite the threat of suspension, expulsion, and all the rest of the terrors in the hands of the Executive Council of the A. E. of L., if 1t did not cease it's activities, the Committee for Inc dustrial Organization went on with its program just as if it had been given the blessing of the conventioners instead of their anathems. Now things have come to Q crisis and, according to Mir. Stark if the eight unions coEnmit~ ted to the organization of the steel business, for Q starter, do not make submission, the Executive Council of the American Fedora. ton of Labor by next Tuesday will kick them out unless "a miracle intervenes". without ilnpungi1g MT. starks judgment I have 6 Sneaking suspicion that "a nlir- acle" will intervene. If one does not intervene, it will be, 60 far as I have experienced similar corl- troversies in the 4. F. of L., Q miracle of the first water.
 If You DOn't-!!!
 For Q long time I watched the conduct of jurisdictional disputes at 4. ?. of L. conventions. I have heard the resolutions of attack introduced by the victims of jur~ isdictional infringement; I have heard the answers of the linjustly accused: I have attended the hearings of the Committee on Ad- justment; I have been present when the Committee on Adjust ment made its report and it's rec ommendation to the convention; and I have heard the convention golemnly adopt or reject the Tec- ommendation. But I never saw Q jurisdicticnal row ended with the offender abandoning the infringe ynent charged.
 Historic Cases
 There is the classic dispute be- tween the Machinists and the Flint Glass Makers over the right to make the cores essential to the industry which ragged for more than Q decade without being definitely settled. Both parties to the controversy were ct some time or other ordered suspended rom membership in the Federation # they did not accept and live up to the decision of the Executive Council of the Federation. Noth- ing ever happened, nobody was ever suspended and the row went on year after year. If 1t has. now ceased 1t is because the parties So 1t have died of sheer physical ex- haustion. There is the other fe~ nous quarrel between tho Plasters CTS and the Bricklayers which oc~ cupied the attention of the dele. gates to the Tederation's annual convention 50 often that the dele gates even got tired of 1t. The disputants then took their respec- tive cases to Q neutral arbiters none other than Elihu Root, for- mer United States Secretary of State. They paid him c hundred thousand dollars to be bored for two or three weeks with their charges and counter charges. MT. Root made c decision. forgot what 1t was or in whose favor. So did the disputants. Because after agreeing to accept his findings and abide by them they departed and began the fight all over again. Jurisdictional rows, which are struggles to obtain the exclusive right for certain craftsmen to do certain work which other cratts- men say they have the exclusive right to do, are the curse of the labor movement. They are always arising and they are never settled. At least among the big fellows.
 
 Per Capita Tax
 The A. P. of L. is supported by Q per capita tax on it's membership which every international and na- tional union pays to the treasurer of the Federation. The bigger the union the larger the per capita tax paid. The Committee for Indus- trial Organization is made up of the United Mine Workers, 640,0O0 m c m b CTS: the International Ladies Garment Workers, 226.0OO members; the Amalgamated Clothing Workers, l60,000 mem. bers: and the International Typo graphical Union, the Hat, Cap. 1AANA AAA0AASky WSAACASe vAtO SAsAtSeA Textile Workers, the Mine, Mill, and Shelter Workers, the oil Field, Gas, and Refinery workers. The combined membership of these organizations I am unable ct the moment to check with ace curacy but 1t runs into hundreds of thousands. All pay 6 per capita tax to the A. P. of L., if they are suspended by the Ex- ecutive Council they will pay no per capita tax and be money in pocket. Knowing something about Federation threats and actual per- formances I cannot see all that money being overlooked. It may be that MT. Stark is right. We ~r,alg ssns.a e. snrafk xaE.kfl Vlsaamf4agy ffA