Evening star., 1936-08-01
GREEN SACRIFICE
PUZZLE TO LABOR
Resignation or Reversal of
Policy in Fight With
Lewis Discussed.

AS q SlOWOOWu pcCWecn Lie CTdlI
and industrial forces in the American
Federation Of Labor approached, the
public, which will be the arbiter in the
long run, today weighed the defense
by President William Green Of his
threat to suspend IL militant oppo-
sition unions and divide the labor
movement into two warning camps.
From the same rostrum where John
L. Lewis, head of the insurgent group.
had linked the Federation with the
American Iron and Steel Institute and
other organizations opposing unioni-
zation of the steel workers, the Ma
tional Press Club, Green yesterday de-
clared the issue Is not whether the
Federation favors the industrial or
craft form of organization, but wheth-
er democratic procedure shall rule In
Federation affairs.
Meanwhile Lewis, in a statement in
the United Mine Workers Journal, an
nounced his group would carry on
regardless of the Federation Executive
Committees decision; Henry Oil, jr.,
president of the Wisconsin Federation
of Labor, was en- route to Washington
to compromise, and John P. Frey,
president of the Federation's Metal
Trades Department, announced the
filing Of a new charge to be heard at
the trial" Monday, one of "insur-
rection."
The insurrection charge grew out
of a recent statement by Philip j
Murray, vice president of the U. NJ w
and Lewis aide, that he intended to
try to bring structural steel work.
ers and boilermakers into the steel
union.
"Surrendering Position"
In a statement capable of more than
one Interpretation, Green asserted
there was no sacrifice he was un-
willing to make, "even to surrender
ing my position" in order to heal
the breech which threatens to divide
organized labor into two warring
camps.
Whether he meant he would resign
his $4,000 year job as Federation
head, or would reverse his policy OF
insisting that the insurgent group
the II unions composing the Commit
tee for Industrial Organization. be
brought to trial and suspended from
the Federation, Green did not say
Lewis several months ago offered
Green the Job of head Of the C.
O., at a salary not less than he Is
now receiving, If he would resign, but
Green declined.
In another statement he left his
listeners to interpret for themselves,
Green, discussing the approaching
crisis in the labor movement, went
back more than a century for an
analogy.
Napoleon rejected the sound ad-
vice of his friends and went to Mos
cow" he said. He declined to state
whether he envisioned his opponent.
TsIewis, or himself in the role Of Ma
poleon, or whether mention of Moscow
had any modern implications.
Invoking the memory of the late
Samuel Gompers, whom he described
as the great philosopher and archi-
tect Of the labor movement" Green
pledged to carry on his predecessor s
policies of "voluntarism and democ-
racy."
THE issue is not whether the fed.
Grafton favors the industrial form
of organization, Green explained
There is plenty of room for both
plans and both are being applied
The federation charter recently
granted to the automobile workers
for example, gives jurisdiction to al
engaged in production or assembly
work, regardless of craft.
THE issue is democracy, whether
or not the majority shall rule. Ths
plan now being followed by the c.
o. was voted down. $4,000 to 10000
at last years convention at Atlantic
City, and thus becomes obligatory or
all those who participated in the dis.
cussions.
THE C. I. o., formed after thai
convention. openly declares it pro.
poses to put into effect the decision
of the minority Of that convention
The c. I. o. itself would not tolerate
any such menace to its welfare anc
challenge to its existence"