The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-07-07
Labor Forces Split
 As Strike Threatens
Ccontinued from Page D

AS0eeWAAeN9SS f,. president, himself . member Of Lcwis' united mine workers, facea tho gravest labor crisis in recent years with Q determination to coii- ciliate the opposing factions If there is the slightest possibility. But whe- ther lae will succeed or whether union labor will be torn by internal strife at the zero hour of It's battle against the open shop in the $6,- 00,000,000 steel industry, remained uncertain.
 Sought Common Ground
 "r have sought for Q dozen years to find Q common ground for every federation dispute" Green told the United Press, in emphasizing the hopelessness of lahors cause unless the federation is closely united. T Intend to pursue that course despite the uncompromising, unyielding stand of some factions. q have not given up hope" Lewis headquarters also indicated that every effort would be made to prevent opening c breach that could not he closed, despite the determination of 0 large percentage of tho i7 members Of the council not to yield to tho vig- orous president of the mine work. CTS. The 0. I. o. leaders, whose "a unions pay about one-third of the dues received by the A. r. of L. have indicated, however, that they will not accept the federations re- quest that they appear before the council Thursday.
 Potential Danger
 The national labor board, seeking to reopen an adversely decided steel labor case at New orleans, called tho "threat of industrial warfare" 0 potential danger to interstate commerce. Tn addition, the fact that both Lewis and Green, in Q per- sonal declaration, have pledged sup. port to the New Deal, appeared likely to make any industrial war. fare Q factor in the presidential election campaign. Lewis radio speech, which may be followed alter by speeches presenting the steel in. dustry's side of the conflict, was unique in that 1t was tho first net. work radio appeal to workers of the nation. Labor leaders contended that 1t was their best method of reaching workers who might be afraid to attend mass meetings. The o. I. o. chieftains replied to the declarations of tho steel industry that 1t would employ It's resources to protect workers against outside" intimidation or interference and that 1t would maintain the open shop.
 Attacks Statement
 He attacked their statement as Q declaration of industrial and civil war" which "contravenes the law" he described in detail the profits of the steel industry-which he said were huge-and the wages paid steel workers-which he contended were mediocre ct best" when com. pared to other industries and mo less than disgacefup' ct the worst. He praised President Roosevelt's at- tack on economic dictatorship" He said: "The American iron and steel institute last week published a full page advertisement in 376 newspapers. Its purpose was to jus. tify the outmoded labor policy of the institute and to announce the determination of the steel corpora tons to oppose the campaign now in progress for the organization of the workers in the iron and steel industry. That statement amounts to Q declaration of industrial and Civil war. It controvenes the lawl It pledges the vast resources of the industry against the right of its workers to engage in self-organiza- ton or modern collective bargain ing. The announcement has fallen short of its purpose.
 They Can't Be Blamed
 T wish to add with all earnest ness at my command, that if any strike, violence of bloodshed occurs as result of the present effort of our committee to organize the steel workers, 1t will not arise from our organizers or their activities. "Al- though the industry has produced thousands of millionaires, and hun- dreds of multi-millionaires among bankers promoters, so-called finan- ciers, and steel executives, it has never throughout the past 35 years paid bare subsistence wage, not to mention a living wage, to the great mass of it's workers.
 "Still greater proof of the back wardnesS of the steel industry in its wage policy is shown by the re- turns of the 2l industries studied by the national industrial conference | hoard aa kn chances fin actual and