Evening star., 1936-08-02
Labor
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and it is written in the same spirit
that animates you.
I'VE, like yourselves, pin great faith
on the wise, continuous and united ad.
vance Of organized labor. The organ.
lied labor movement has done much
and will do more to help the working
people and save America. OF its pres.
ent greatness on many grounds we are
convinced. We hope for still greater
future.
"A split in the ranks would be ca.
lamitous. A united effort to move for
ward, organize, gain greater measure
Of social justice for more people, ant
advance upon the constructive pro.
gram that the labor movement has
written for itself is a consummatior
devoutly to be wished.
United Action Urged.
'The work Of the organizations
with which we are affiliated entities
us, we believe, on the record to direct
this letter to you in all friendliness
and urge you and urge the Executive
Council Of the American Federation
Of Labor and the officers Of the Com
mittee for Industrial Organization, for
the cause you and we hold so impor-
tant, to make every effort to work out
your differences and plot the future
of American labor unitedly in the
spirit Of the greater good Of the work.
ing people Of the country.
eff we, perhaps, speak in the tone
Of the pulpit, blame it upon our accus.
toned manner Of speaking but credit
1t, too, to belief that the cause OF
religion and of the spiritual welfare
of the American people is bound up
with united striving Of all organized
labor to bring justice to the country.
Regarding the terms of settlement,
we have no proposal to make. Or
ganized labor's intimate knowledge Of
American economic life and proven
capacity, shown in many negotia-
ton with employers the country over,
will, in spite Of bad reports that we
hear, let you reach an agreement on
the basis Of present possibilities, keep
the movement intact and allow Amer
lean organized labor to move Initedly
in the great work to which you are
giving your lives.
Hope for Friendly Decision.
I'VE know many Of the men and
women in the movement personally
and we hold you and them in high
esteem. This urges us to have still
more confidence that a wise and
friendly decision will be reached. We
are as interested as yourselves, VIC
believe, in a happy ending to the pres
ent crisis in your ranks.
IF in any way our friendly Offices
can be Of service to you, we hereby
tender them.
Sincerely yours,
Grew. r. A. MCGOWAN, assistant
director, Social Action Department,
National Catholic Welfare Confer
ence; Rev.) James Myers, industrial
secretary, Department Of the Church
and Social Service, Federal Council
of the Churches of Christ in America;
(RabbD Sidney e. Goldstein, chair
man, Social Justice Commission, Gen.
tral Conference Of American Rabbis. !"
Lewis up to now has made no over
ture to the A. F. of L. Council, which
he believes has taken the belligerent
initiative in interfering with his
unionizing efforts among unorganized
workers.
Gives History Of Schism.
In keeping with this opinion Lewis
letter to the members Of the United
Mine Workers Union today narrated
the history of the schism as he viewed
it. He told his union membership
that the A. F. of L. faced zone of
the most important crises in its ex-
istence." The Executive Council to-
he said, will decide whether
it will unlawfully attempt to suspend
the IL national and international
unions affiliated with the c. I. O."
"These unions have done the feder-
alton no wrong" Lewis declared, as he
told of the background Of the c. 7. O.
movement to organize the steel, auto,
rubber, cement and lumber industries.
The craft unions, whose leaders
dominate the Executive Council, are
not a practicable agency for organiz-
ing the mass production industry, he
said. The A. F. Of L. leadership failed
to obey the instructions Of two con-
ventions to carry on such organization
work, he continued.
Thereupon the G. I. o. was set up
and the drive to organize the steel
industry was started. Lewis claimed
the great majority Of the members
of the A. F. of L. do not approve the
Executive Council attitude. He pointed
to C. I. o. support from IL State
federations Of labor and many local
unions.
"The advocates Of industrial or
ganization have never desired to in
fringe upon the jurisdiction of these
craft organizations, in those industries
which are already well organized" !"
Lewis said. I'VE do maintain, how
ever, that such organizations should,
for the sake of the welfare of the
workers, yield their Jurisdiction in
industries totally unorganized, and in
which they have few members, to
national or international in
dustrial unions. We maintain that
there Is room In the American Fed
.ratfon NJ T f,r hoth for craft afnfons