Evening star., 1936-07-04

employees Of the United States Steel
Corporation and its subsidiaries.
The meeting was billed as "a me-
mortal service in commenmoration
of the victims Of the Homestead riot
of 1892, when steel workers were shot
down by guns IN the hands Of the
detectives employed by the Carnegie
Steel Co."
Meanwhile, the rift within labor s
own ranks was a subject Of increased
concern as a survey was reported to
have disclosed that 8 of the IS mem
bers of the A. F. of L. Executive Coun-
Gil favor expulsion action against
John L. Lewis, his United Mine Work
ers and the other IL members Of
the c. 7. o. Representatives of the
c. I. o. unions have been summoned
before the council next week to ex-
plain their activities in behalf Of
dual unionism."
cause against the steel industry above
the differences between factions of
the labor movement are striving, how
ever. to postpone action indefinitely.
Lewis and his associates in the c. I. o.
have indicated they would ignore the
summons, although it is possible they
might make a cursory appearance If
. compromise agreement to postpone
action is reached in advance. Such
tactics would save the face" of the
council without damaging the pres
tige of Lewis and his associates.
Drive Is Under Way.
At the same time, the actual Or
ganization drive is under way with
about 300 paid organizers distributed
throughout three main areas of the
industry. A program of personal con-
tact Is being pressed as most effec-
tive in encouraging organization.
In contrast to industry's contention
that the issue Is one of closed VS..
open shop, spokesmen for the c. l. o.
insist that the basic issue Is to gain
bargaining recognition for labor rep
resentatives chosen by union free of
company influence.
And while this objective is being
sought in the formation of new unions
in the steel industry, member unions
of the c. I. o. are planning new
drives to increase their own member
ships. Active cooperation in this
drive was promised by the committee
Thursday to the United Rubber
Workers and the United Automobile
Workers, newly admitted to member
ship in the c. I. o. The former has
an enrolment of about $4,000 at
the present time, while the latter
claims $4,000.
Enter Verbal Warfare.
Two leaders of the labor drive en-
tered into the verbal warfare as
Phillip Murray, chairman Of the Or
ganizing Committee of the c. I. O.,
answered Irwin, and Francis J. Cor
man. vice president of the United
Textile Workers, q member union of
the c. l. o.. made an appeal for .
strong labor political party.
Murray denied the accuracy of
Twins statement as follows:
The so-called open shop never
existed in the steel industry, because
the industry has been closed to union
labor. The collective bargaining they
talk about Is merely a misnomer, for
the world knows that the company
unions are organized, financed and
administered by the steel corpora
tions and that they endure to the
sole advantage of these corporations"
German, speaking at New Haven
before the Connecticut Federation Of
Labor, charged both major political
parties have failed labor and that the
only answer is development of an ef-
fective Farmer-LAbor party.
ITO those of us now in the ranks
Of organized labor" German said, "the
gauntlet thrown down by the steel
barons means life or death.
I'VE must have the economic weap.
on of trade-union organization and
the political weapon of q labor party.
I'VE have the glorious example Of
the French Popular Front and the
concrete picture of what such a poll.
tical coalition of the masses can gain
for the workers"
Twins Statement.
Twins statement for the United
States Steel Corp. follows in part:
Much publicity has been released
by an organization outside of our
industry Of its aim to unionize all
Of our plants. II this be accom-
r,lished IL ma ns n e1oaed shnx, v,hnra