Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-10-21
BY JOHN c. HENRY.


the event there is no peace, were under
way in both camps of the American
labor movement today as the Com
mittee for Industrial Organization and
the American Federation of Labor
each projected plans beyond the pre-
liminary reconciliation conferences
scheduled to begin here next Monday.
From the A. F. of L. came hints from
leaders of some of the craft unions
most bitter against the c. I. o. in
vasions of their jurisdictions that
failure by the peace negotiators will be
the signal for widespread application
of boycott tactics as the strife reaches
down to the rank and file of member
ships.
In brief. the procedure would be for
the highly skilled craftsmen of the
Federation unions to refuse to work
materials turned out by some Of the
mass production labor affiliated with
the c. I. o.
A dangerous strategy and also one
that may be applied by both sides as
well, the boycott practice nevertheless
might be highly effective in forcing
scattered surrenders in various fields.
Placed in widespread use. it probably
would ensnari the Nations industry to
a point where public sentiment would
demand cessation of the strife.
An example of the boomerang
effects of this practice was given only
recently on the Pacific Coast where
the A. F. of L. teamsters applied
boycott against hauling freight han
died by c. /. o. longshoremen. In
this instance. the boycott not only
failed to break the c. I. o. union, but
also resulted in a demand from several
employer associations that the inter-
rupted hauling be resumed.
While further application Of this
device was under consideration by
A. F. of l.. leaders, the c. I. o. moved
to strengthen its maritime forces on
the Pacific Coast and to consolidate
its already powerful organization in
the steel industry.
The c. I. o. also extended its efforts
in the telegraph field today when Lee
FRESHMAN, general counsel, filed a petit
ton with the National Labor Rela-
lions Board for a national election
among employees of the Postal Tele-
graph Co.
The petition, which said the COM
pany has 1900 employees, was filed
in behalf of the American Radio
Telegraphists' Association, a c. I. o.
affiliate, and follows three months of
organization effort in the company.
Lewis Invites Maritime Union.
The move in the maritime field con-
sisted Of an invitation from John L.
Lewis, chairman of the C. I. o., to
Harry Lundeberg, head of the Sailors
Union of the Pacific, to participate in
a G. I. o. maritime conference at San
Francisco on January II.
Lundeberg heads the most powerful
independent union in the maritime
industry, his Pacific sailors having
withdrawn from the A. F. of L. some
time ago, but thus far not having
shown determined preference for
the c. I. o. In a referendum recently,
it was reported that a majority
favored the Lewis group over the
federation, but no action towkrd
applying for afiliation ever was taken
The cooperation of the Lundeberg
union with the West Coast long
shoreman, now under absolute rule
of C. I. o. Director Harry Bridges,
would give the Lewis group DONNA
ton of the maritime field on that
coast.
The suggestion that Lundeberg
participate in the unity conference Of
January was made, it was learned
today. after he had queried the c.
I. o. leadership on certain conditions
of af1liation. The conditions, it was
explained in the Lewis reply, would
be discussed at the January session.
Steel Consolidation Move.
The c. I. o. consolidation move in
the steel industry came in the form
of a call for the first convention OF
the Steel Workers Organizing Com
mittee in Pittsburgh on December a.
With membership above 100000
and 421 steel companies under work.
ing contract, the S. w. o. C. Is cur
rently making drive to get its rank
and file in good financial standing
in order that the organization may
not only be completely self-supporting,
but also may make its regular con-
tribution to support of the C. T. o.
Meanwhile, more immediate atten-
ton was being focused on the forth
coming peace conference of next
Monday with the federation firm in
its intention to send only three men
to face the 10-man committee named
by the c. I. o.
The session of next week has been
arranged only for the purpose of
determining how many representa-
tives OF each faction should partici-
pate in a later conference on the real
issue of reconciliation. The c. I. o..
is desirous of placing peace negotia-
lions in the hands of 100-man COM
mittees. contending they would be
truly representative Of the rank and
file of membership, while the fedora
ton insists that only a small COM
mittee, such as its three-man group.
could make any practical progress
toward q settlement Of differences.