Montana labor news., 1936-11-19
PEACE pARLEY5 OFF ---FUTU up TO
TAMPA CONVENTION OF AMERICAN LABOR
By Federated Press

By Federated Press
PITTSBURGH-(FP)-Th future
of the American Federation of La
Dor, as at present constituted, rests
in the lap of the Tampa convention.
With peace negotiations definitely
off following an exchange of tele-
grams between officials of the Com
mittee for Industrial Organization,
Injecting at Pittsburgh, AID Pres.
William Green of the AR If L.,
interest shifted to what HS nven-
ton will do after it assem- at the
Florida city Nov. 16.
OF only less interest, gh, was
the decision to be takes the ex-
ecutive boards of the4 |. Ladies
Garment Workers US and the
Amalgamated Clothir iorkers of
America, scheduled meet at
Washington shortly ; the c. I. o.
Pittsburgh conclave ether or not
to send delegates tv mpa was to
be decided on by the garment I'M
lions. One delegate, generally re-
ported to be Pres. David Dubinsky
of the l. L. G. w. u, voted present"
to the otherwise unanimous final
message of the C. ]. o. to Green, in
which it was stated that it will be
time to discuss the details of a re-
established relationship when the
Outrageous act of suspension is re-
voked.
Besides the sharp exchange of
communications which left peace
efforts at an apparent deadlock,
other important developments
widened the gulf between the Lewis
group and the executive council.
No c. l. o. unions, it was learned,
have received the customary Gre
dentials for seating at the A. F. of
l.. convention.
The Pittsburgh meeting voted to
receive as affiliates two information
al unions which have never held
A. F. of L. charters: the Industrial
Union of Marine & Shipbuilding
Workers of America, with 10000
members, and the United Electrical
& Radio Workers of America, with
$4,000. This raised to IA the num-
Der of c. l.. o. affiliates and semi
affiliates-in some instances, union
officers r in the C. l. 0. technically
as individual members.
The final c. l. Q. message, dis
patched to Green and signed by
Lewis as chairman, declared that
discussions between the two men, in
the absence of Green's authority to
modify terms laid down by the ex-
ecutive council, would be futile"
Compromise with the demand of
workers in mass production indus
tries for al industrial type of or
ganization was declared out of the
-
question, and a 're-established re-
lationship' with the A. F. of l..
would have to await reversal of the
suspensions and readiness ito con-
cede the right of complete industrial
organizations to live and grow in
unorganized industries"
This message had been preceded
by an earlier interchange. The first
c. l. o. wire, signed by Pres. Charles
P. Howard of the Init. Topographic
cal Union as secretary, empowered
Lewis to confer with Green. On
Green's rejoinder that he would be
glad to meet with Lewis but was
powerless to alter terms previously
set down by the executive council as
a basis for Unconstitutional sub
committees, with no prior revoca-
ton of the suspension order-the
final message was sent. Lewis COM
ment was that he was too busy at
this time to meet Mr.. Green social
ly."
Some observers felt that forma-
ton of a new federation of labor
around the nucleus of the c. /. o.
was inevitable, unless the Tampa
convention moves to break the dead
lock. Vice-Pres. Philip Murray of
the United Mine Workers of America
said the organization would not send
delegates to Tampa. Lewis would
make no statement as to possibilities
for a new federation. Howard did
not plan to attend, but said other
l. T. U. delegates would be free to
decide for themselves.
Pres. Max Zaritsky of the United
Hatters, Cap & Millinery Workers
Union would 60 to Tampa, accord
ing to some observers.
The official record states he voted
Yes on the c. I. o. reply to Green.
The c. l. o. pledged full support
to the Federation of Flat Glass
Workers on strike against the Pitts
burgh Plate Glass Co. Encouraging
reports of organizational progress in
steel, rubber, autos and other in
dustries were heard.