Evening star., 1937-12-01
LABOR MAY UNITE
|NBUS|NESS DRIVE
A. F. of l.. Executive Council
Will Meet on Friday to
Discuss Recession.
BY JOHN C. HENRY.

BY JOHN C. HENRY.
Unified labor opposition to the de-
hationary effects Of the present buM-
ness recession loomed today as the
American Federation of Labor called
its Executive Council into special ses-
sion here on Friday, only "a hours
after John L. Lewis and William Green
are scheduled to make their first face
to-face effort to bring about recon-
ella ton between the c. I. o. and the
A. F. Of L.
With this new and more authorita-
tive effort to bring about peace in
labor's ranks springing principally
from genuine concern on both sides
over rapidly increasing unemployment,
the call for the Federation Council
. meeting specifies that it is for the ex-
press purpose of giving consideration
to wage and hour legislation. an issue
Of direct concern as business lags.
Although such legislation, as it is
now pending, has only a qualified in
dorsement Of labor, it was learned
today that increasing apprehension
over possible efforts Of industry to
drive down wages and increase work.
Ing hours under guise of offsetting
poor business conditions may bring the
two labor factions into agreement on
their basic differences and into CO.
operative action in support of statutory
wage and hour standards.
Unity in Movement.
There should be unity in the labor
movement If any effort is made to drive
down wages" one c. I. o. chieftain
said this morning. only the presence
Of strong unions has forestayled such
efforts already. In 1929, they began
within six weeks of the beginning Of
the depression"
That A. F. of l.. leaders have lately
become equally concerned with such
possible tactics by industry is re.
hected in the wording of their call for
the council meeting, coming after the
Federation was apparently planning
to stand on the unfavorable comment
OF Mr.. Green toward the legislation
about 10 days ago.
Minimum rates of pay and maxi
mum hours, which the council believes
should be incorporated in wages and
hours legislation will be drafted and
recommended to Congress for ia
vorable consideration and action" 4"
the call specified Methods of en-
torcement OF said minimum and maxi
mum requirements, together with the
administration of wages and hours
act, will be formulated and incor-
porated in recommendations for hours
and wages legislation by the Execu-
tive Council"
Personal Hand in Negotiations.
With Mr.. Lewis and Mr.. Green
meeting at the Willard Hotel at 10 m.
tomorrow, finally taking a personal
hand In peace negotiations, full re-
sponstbility for whatever results will
rest squarely upon the two personali-
ties most conspicuously involved in the
two-year labor strife. With both of
them possessed of greater authority
than could be found in the special
peace committees, and with the Fed
Grafton council arriving here in time
to pass quickly on any tentative
grounds Of agreement, prospects for a
reconciliation are considered better
than at any time in the last two years.
Accompanying their chieftains will
be Philip Murray, chairman of the C.
I. o. Negotiating Committee. and
George M. Harrison, chairman of the
A. r. Of L. group.
In addition. the original committee.
10 from the c. I. o. and 8 from
the A. F. Of L., are standing by sub
tect to call. Their scheduled meeting
Tor today was Cancelled
Five-Point Agenda.
Although tomorrow's meeting will
be free to take up whatever issues
1t pleases, 1t Is planned to make a
start on the five-point agenda set
up yesterday by the original COM
mittees. First of these will be the
question of designating specifically the
industries which are to be left ex-
clusively to the industrial form of
organization.
Four More Points.
In addition to the task of spotting
industries for vertical unionism, the
remaining points of the agenda follow:
l. Determining status of c. l. O.
Is an entity in any unified labor
movement.
2. What recommendations might be
made to q special convention relative
to powers of Executive Council of
A. F. Of L., together with other possible
proposals for amending Federation
constitution.
8. Creation of machinery to make
reconciliation agreements effective.
4. Question Of calling special con-
vention and basis for representa- ton
at such convention.
Appeal by Thomas.
As reconciliation efforts SWING into
this latest stage, an appeal for success
came from Senator Thomas, Demo-
crat, OF Utah, newly appointed chair
man OF the Senate Committee on Ed
ucation and Labor.
commenting on the whole picture
OF labor and industry, Senator Thomas
said:
THE topic Of the hour is the try at
conciliation by the A. F. Of L. and
the c. I. o. No one, not even the most
secluded conservative should fear this
And shall work to help make II
successful. It Is unwholesome to have
labor divided against itself. -. I,
Is OF prime interest that the A. F.. Of l.
and the c. I. o. get together, in aim
and endeavor."