Evening star., 1936-09-12
COUNCIL Of A.E.GE.
AIDS MERGER PLAN
Of AUXILIARY UNIT
State, County and City EN-
pIoyes Seek Basis for
Close AffiIiation.
PROGRAM WILL ENTAIL
AMENDING CONSTITUTION
Division Would Retain Autono-
nous Status-Justice Lodge
Decision Near.
BY ]. A. FOX,
Stafi Correspondent of The Star.

DETROIT, September 12.-The
Executive Council of the American
Federation of Government Employees
today temporarily turned from con-
sideration of internal problems to pave
the way for formal union with the
American Federation of State, County
and Municipal Employees, numbering
more than 5000 members.
Arnold S. zander of Madison, Wis.
president of the latter group, has ar
ranged q conference with A. F. G. E.
leaders, at which it was intended to
work out program for afiliation
that will be submitted for the ap-
proval Of the Government Employees
convention which opens here Monday.
This will entail amending the con-
stitution OF the A. F. G. E. to bring in
the State, County and Municipal En-
ployes in a single autonomous division,
on the same principal, for example, as
the hosiery workers are linked with
the United Textile Workers. At pres
ent, the State, County and Municipal
organization is joined to the Govern
ment Employees by individual units in
conformity with a plan adopted at
the annual convention in Cincinnati
last year. The proposed new arrange
ment is designed to meet the wishes
Of the affiliate for a more centralized
set-up. according to officials of the
Government Employees.
To Have Own Organization.
Even with the new plan, however,
the State-county-muinicipal group will
not have voice in the deliberations
Of the A. F. G. E. These workers are
planning to perfect their permanent
organization at a convention that
opens here Thursday, following the
conclusion of the A. F. G. E. meeting
The council expected today also to
reach decision in the case of Justice
Department Lodge, No. 81, whose sus-
pension was lifted yesterday, pending
further consideration of charges of
prejudicial conduct growing out of
row with J. Edgar Hoover, director of
the Bureau of Investigation
The suspension issue was before the
council from early morning until late
at night yesterday. Under an arrange
ment agreed on week ago. when the
lodge dropped court proceedings to force
reinstatement of three of its members,
three representatives of the lodge
Bennett Mead, Samuel Schmerler and
Isidore Weisberg-accompanied by At
torney Howard c. Westwood of WASH
tngton, yesterday appeared before the
council to defend the course that has
been followed.
Campaign Brought Dismissal.
The trouble originated in the dis
missal of eight members of the lodge
employed by the Bureau of Investiga-
ton. Hoover said they were ousted for
inefflciency; the lodge countered with
the assertion Hoover opposed the union
activities of the eight. Their campaign
against Hoover, including dissemina-
tion of a printed attack, brought about
the suspension without the formality
OF hearing, but when the oral inquiry
started yesterday morning, the ban
was lifted, in order that the whole
case might be opened anew.
Meanwhile, delegates were drifting
in, and by tomorrow morning the ma
jority were expected to be on hand.
The Washington group, comprising
the heaviest representation, was sched-
uled to leave home today.
Early arrivals heard reports that e.
Claude Babcock, the federation presi-
dent, was on his way here. However,
his part in the proceedings was matter
of conjecture, inasmuch as he has
rendered his resignation because of the
furore stirred by his attack on the
Roosevelt administration circulated by
the Republican National Committee.
With the presumptive vacancy in the
presidency and the open warfare be-
tween radicals" and conservatives
in the District department offering two
major items of contention for the con-
vention, there were strong indications
the high command of the American
Federation of Labor, with which the
A. F. G. E. is afhliated, had taken
cogniZance Of the situation and was
seeking to promote harmony. George
Googe. A. F. of L. trouble shooter"
for the South, arrived last night on
what observers generally believed was
O peace making mission.