Evening star., 1937-10-13
DEBATE FOR PEACE.
OFFERED A. F. OF Il
c. |. O.. Session Springs Big
Surprise in 100-Man
Speaking Plan.
BY JOHN C. HENRY,
Stan Correspondent OF The Star.

Stan Correspondent OF The Star.
ATLANTIC CITY, October 13- Ap-
parently 81 debaters away from the
American Federation of Labor's idea
OF how to bring peace through con-
versations, leaders of the Committee
for Industrial Organization returned
to their policy-making sessions here
today with an air of grimness that
forecasts factional labor rivalry sur
passing In bitterness all that has gone
before.
Surprising everybody but few Of
those closest to the high command,
the C. l. o. conference late yesterday
proposed to the A. F. of l. assembled
In convention in Denver that 100
champions" of each of the great labor
factions meet In forensic arena"
as step toward reconciliation.
That the proposal is futile one
seemed obvious, however, when word
came from Denver that William Green,
president of the federation, had an
nollnced it would be submitted to the
Executive Council, but that he would
insist that any negotiating be done
through the three-man standing COM
nittee named by the council about a
year ago.
Politics Due to Come Up.
Privately, c. I. o. spokesmen re-
ferred to the federation council as
the graveyard" and turned to their
other business. Included 10 this cate
cory were their fiscal problems, a
threatening explosion within and over
the United Automobile Workers and
some important political policy max
ing.
Coming as a stunning surprise, the
G.. I. o. decision late yesterday to
agree to submit the whole deep-Seated
fight to a verbal free-for-all was a
highly dramatized affair, so closely
guarded in advance that only the half
dozen members of the Resolutions
Committee and few members of the
high command apparently knew what
was coming. Through two days the
conference has been closed meeting.
With the press barred, but shortly
before o'clock yesterday bulky Hey
wood Broun of the American News
paper Guild emerged to call the cor
respondents to the door of the con-
ference room for specific instructions
as to the conditions under which
they were to be admitted to session
which he said was considering a
resolution for a peace conference
with the A. F. Of L.
Exit DeadIine Set Up.
The conditions were that all should
enter and none should leave until the
vote had been taken. Instructions
likewise were given to the press teleg-
raphers that no copy was to be ac-
cepted from the conference room. Un-
der these circumstances, in a period
of about 80 minutes the assembled
delegates heard from five Of the six
committee members, four of them
heads of powerful units OF the C. ]. O.,
from scattered few others, and
finally from Lewis himself. No voice
was raised in opposition.
At almost $50 Lewis called for
standing vote in support OF the reso-
luton. All Stood
In tone, the addresses in support
OF the resolution were similar, almost
every one Of the speakers emphasizing
that it was to be considered a final
offer OF the c. I. O., now the "prin-
cipal labor movement of America" and
that it had no relationship to Mon
days action of the federation in en-
powering their Executive Council to
expel the Lewis unions.
That the decision did represent long
and careful thought by the c. I. o.
leaders is undoubtedly true, but it is
equally probable that it also repre-
sented a change Of mind within the
past 40 hours on the part Of some Of
the high command who have been
most Indifferent to the course of the
federation.
Puts Decision on A. F. OIL
On the face of the accomplishments
OF the two factions, speculation that
the peace gesture was an indication OF
weakness or fear on the part of the
G. I. o. does not make sense. The
action did serve, however, to pass the
buck" back to the federation il thev
really wished econciliation, and did
allow the c. I. o. to slide out from
under the onus of being unwilling to
meet with the A. F.. Of L.
AL OF the committee utterances yes
terday IN support Of the proffer to the
federation were obviously carefully
thought out and forcefully expressed
opinions OF the men who have ridden
the c. I. O. tuggernaut over the giants
OF American industry to point where
it is the dominating force in the
Nations industrial life.
True to his fair for the dramatic.
however, Lewis climaxed the one
SIDED noor debate in a brief conclud-
ing appeal for the conference 70 SUD-
port the resolution.
81 think it is q statesmaulike offer
to the American Federation of Labor
to participate constructively in a great
national conference to determine
whether or not American labor has
leadership OF sufficient intelligence to
enectuate a program Of cooperation
and unity" Lewis said.
"One More Chance"
This oher gives that orgauization
one more chance to participate in the
forging OF modern labor movement
here IN America responsive to the
needs and the desires and the will of
the men and women Of labor. Thev
can accept or they can reject it. Upon
their shoulders and upon their heads
be the responsibility for their decision,
THE Committee for Industrial Or
ganlzation, like certain great pro-
consul Of Rome, advances today and
ohers to the A. p. OF L. either peace
OF war. They can take their choice.
Candidly we prefer peace.
HE (Mr. Green) can fish or cut
bait, but let the A. F. Of L., through
it8 100 champions tn the forensic
arena, assemble around the conference
table facing an equal number Of the
representatives Of the Committee for
ii