Montana labor news., 1936-03-05
MINERS VOTE TO CARRY ON FIGHT
FOR POWERFUL LABOR MOVEMENT
U. M. w. Convention Makes Organization of Unorganized Leading
Task, Authorizing Withdrawal From A. F. of L.
If 1t Blocks the Way

WASHINGTON. -(UNS)- Unani-
nous determination to throw their
energies into building a powerful labor
movement through industrial organi-
z@ation, was voted by LOO delegates at
tending the United Mine Workers
convention in Washington.
Rising to a man and cheering re-
peatedly, they assured President John
I. Lewis Of their backing in the fight
for organization Of the unorganized
with the American Federation of La
Dor if it will, without it if it prefers"
A report endorsing their officers
activities through the committee for
Industrial Organization was amended
by the convention to authorize with
drawal from the A. F. of L., if the
miners leader should find it blocking
the way to organization.
The supplemental report to this eff
feet, adopted unanimously, provides
that at any time, if in the judgment
of the International executive board
conditions and circumstances warrant,
they are hereby authorized to Withhold
payment Of further taxes TO the A. F.
of l."
Murray Scores Carping Critics
The action was taken after Vice
President Philip Murray had scored the
unwillingness Of the A. F. of L. ex-
e%cutive council to cooperate in a plan
which contemplates organization of the
unorganized" and their Continuous,
carping criticism Of the eight inter
national unions in the c. l. 0. If this
continues, he said, 'the sooner we get
out the better it will be-
Secretary Thomas Kennedy ex-
pressed similar sentiments and COM
planned Of subtle attempts by craft
leaders to take from the United Mine
Workers the jurisdiction granted it.
Lewis brought the convention to its
feet repeatedly with a speech in which
he put forward as the main issue,
whether here in America we shall
have a powerful influential, militant la
Dor movement = and whether III la
Dor movement can be modernized into
an instrument capable OF dealing with
modern problems"
The craft unions have served a
great purpose" Lewis said, but they
have proved incapable of serving the
interests of the 80 miliion-odd nor
ganized.' All the industrial union ad-
vocates have been asking, he empha-
sized, is that in the mass production
industries where the crafts have failed,
the workers should be permitted to
join the type OF unions they themselves
choose.
Asks Instructions on c. |. o.
Referring to the order of the A.. F.
Of l.. executive council for the dissolu-
ton Of the Committee for Industrial
Organization, Lewis asked for the con
vention's Instructions. If the miners so
ordered him, he would withdraw from
the committee he said. But if they in
structed him not to dissolve the c. |.
O., all the members Of the executive
council will be wearing asbestos suits
in hell before that committee is dis
solved he proclaimed.
IF you now suspend this attempt to
organize the u~norganized, you will
bring despair to their hearts and block
the progress of labor" the miners
president told the delegates, warning
that their W union would also be
threatened, But if they decided to
carry on, he said, it would mean the
hostility Of certain elements in the A.
F. Of l..
Are we going to assume that re-
sponsibility?" Lewis asked, and the
miners roared their assent.
Craft Failures Noted
The report adopted by the conven-
ton declares that craft policies Of d.
viding the workers in small groups
have failed in mass production plants
to organize the unorganized. 1t com
mends the efforts of the c. |. o. formed
by eight internationals with 100000
members, representing 40 per cent of
the membership of the A. F. of L.
NO great organization Of labor in
the United States can be secure, and
no attempts made to cure the evils OF
unemployment are possible Of accom-
plishment without unionization Of the
workers." the report asserts.
Labor unions like our own are in
constant jeopardy while industries like
steel, rubber, cement, automobiles,
aluminium, etc, remain ~unorganized."
(EpN E;rL4ao. 49,;