Evening star., 1936-08-03

7 IL SO Z dkC.D
dropped and the A. F. of L. would
participate In the organization cam
paign, already under way under the
aegis Of the c. I. o.
Neither the peace offer OF the
churches, nor the delay proposed by
the Wisconsin Federation is believed
to offer much hope Of compromise
because of the unequivocal stand
taken by both Lewis and President
Green and the other craft unionists
Of the Executive Committee.
Despite all reasonable hope for
delay in action by the Executive
Committee, however. rumors persisted
that some obstacle again would be
found to avoid the necessity for sus-
pending the unrepentant industrial
unions. When the Executive Commit
tee met last month to permit the
c. I. o. unions to defend their ac-
tions, and was met with a similar re-
fusal to appear, the Executive Com
mittee delayed final action until filing
Of formal charges.
Delay in Action Sought.
Whether some new reason could be
found to further delay a definite
break was a subject for speculation in
labor circles today. All agreed that
any program decided on by the Exec
utive Committee would have to per-
nit both groups to save their faces,
and to permit continuance Of the
steel organi5ational campaign. One
observer estimated that the chances
Of such a solution being found we're
not better than one to five.
While the suspension Of the IL
unions by the Executive Committee,
authority for which is denied by the
unions in question, would not be final
it would have the effect of barring
them from the Tampa, Fla. conven-
tion in September, at which a final
vote on their expulsion would be
taken. A two-thirds vote is necessary
for expulsion, but with the c. I. o.
unions not voting on the question of
their own expulsion, the craft union
lists feel they will have little difficulty
in winning their point Unless the
suspension is ordered. the C. I. o.
unions, which have approximately
II 600 out of the $4,000 votes to be
cast, could block the two-thirds vote.
Lewis Carries Fight.
Instead Of retreating in his battle
on two fronts against the federation
and the American Iron and Steel In
stitute, spokesmen for the steel in
dustry, Lewis continued to fire away
with verbal broadsides.
Explaining his stand in defying the
federation, he assailed the Executive
Committee for "houting" the direc-
tons Of the last two conventions,
claiming that the craft union opposi-
ton was due to fear that control of
the federation would be wrested from
their hands by the new votes which
100000 steel workers and added thou
sands of rubber and automobile work.
ers would bring to the industrial camp
I'm their selflshness. they prefer
their own narrow power to the benefit
Of millions Of their fellow men," he
declared.
"The c. I. O. believes its acts are
in accordance with the mandate Of
the convention of the A. F. of L., and
with the wishes of the members Of
that body. We are fulfilling the in
structionS of the convention. which
the Executive Council has flouted."
In his statement, Lewis claimed that
the 1884 convention had voted to grant
industrial charters to the steel. auto
mobile and rubber workers. but when
charters were issued to the latter two
groups last year. the council reserved
the right Of several craft unions to
Jurisdiction over the skilled workers in
their crafts. The council also backed
up the craft unions to maintain units
in the Anaconda Copper Co. mines.
turned over the radio workers to a
craft union, and then decided to build
up craft unions in the steel industry,
he asserted.
Turning to the American Iron and
Steel Institute, Lewis took issue with
its recent statement that steel work.
ers' average hourly earnings in March
of this year were 66.2 cents. as COM
pared with 57.2 cents for workers in
all manufacturing industry. Declar-
ing that steel wages were lower than
in any industry with which it can be
compared. he said:
"The so-called average for all
manufacturing industries, referred to
by the institute, is an average Of 80
separate manufacturing industries,
many of which, such as canning. con-
fectionery and cigaret manufacture
ing. involve relatively light work and
employ largely the labor of women,
young persons and children.
Surely there is little ground for
the steel industry to take pride in the
fact that its wage scale is higher than
the canning industry. where labor has
been notoriously unoerpaid, or in the
cotton seed oil industry Of the South,
where Negro labor has been fright
fully exploited.
"The iron and steel industry en-
ploys and can employ only adult
males. The work involves heavy mus
cular strain, is carried on for the
most part under very high tenn