Evening star., 1937-10-12
C. |. 0. WILL SPUR
| 2-|NDUSTRY DRIVE
Convention Hears Reports
on Steel and Textile
0nsIaughts.
BY JOHN c. HENRY,
Stan Correspondent of The Star.

ATLANTIC CITY, N. j., october
12-Continued onslaughts on two of
the Nations giant industries, those
Of steel and textiles. with expenditures
Of $l,000,000 already accounted for
in each, were outlined to leaders Of
the Committee for Industrial Organi-
zation, assembled here today.
The progress and the prospects Of
these major engagements we're dis
closed to the conferees by Philip Muir
ray, chairman of the Steel Workers
Organizing Committee. and Sidney
Hillman, chairman Of the Textile
Workers Organizing Committee.
Hillman characterized yesterday by
william Green, president Of the Amer
ican Federation Of Labor, as the
Machiavelli OF the G. I. O.. told the
session here that the whirlwind textile
campaign Of the last seven months
has cost the c. I. o. $970,000, but
has brought signed membership cards
from 456, 900 workers and signed work.
ing contracts with 425 individual tex
tile concerns.
Pay Rises Cited.
Under the contracts, he said, 258. .l50
workers have received average wage
increases of 80 per cent while the
other workers have been granted 20
per cent wage increases.
In another six months, he promised,
twice as many companies will be under
contract.
Earlier today Murray had reported
growth of the steel union from 10000
in June. 1896, to $4,000 on October
/ of this year with 434 companies
under contracts. This drive, it was
disclosed, cost the c. I. O. proper
more than $960,0O0 with additional
funds coming from the S. w. o. C.'s
own income. Much of the expense
Murray noted, was occasioned by the
tactics of the bloc Of four independent
companies - Republic, Bethlehem
youngstown and Inland-in refusing
to negotiate.
The latter two subsequently have
signed agreements through Gov
Townsend Of Indiana, but 10000
workers still are technically on strike
against Republic and will continue
SO indefinitely. Murray said for the
time being, there is virtually no S.
w. o. c. activity at Bethlehem.
Board Election Victories.
AS these two of the key leaders in
the c. I. o. made their reports, the
conferees also heard from John
Brophy, executive director, sum-
narration of National Labor Rela-
tions Board elections showing 291
c. I. O., victories in 374 polls con-
Quoted by the board.
OF these victories, Brophy reported
108 were scored against rival A. F.
Of L unions while 60 were won over
company unions. BY comparison, A.
F. of L. unions won Is such skirmishes
while 81 company unions were VIC
LOI lOuS. xAlC ~. l. ~. Wno uAlORHNhoCA
in the remaining ballots.
A third organization report for the
morning was given by Haywood Broun
Of the American Newspaper Guild,
who claimed $4,000 members for the
newsmen's union.
Criticixes Publishers.
Broun sharply criticized the news
paper publishers for fighting the
guild on q platform cry of preserving
the freedom Of the press" and
charged the A. F. of L. has patiently
attempted to break up the organ
ization by establishment OF a dual
union. The guild president reported
strikes now being carried on at the
Seattle Star and the Brooklyn Eagle
are proving IAN extreme drain on our
resources"
Guild contracts, he said, have "lop-
ped of 100000 unpaid for hours OF
work year for American newspaper
men" through the reduction of work
weeks from an average of 55 to 40
AS the c. I. O. meeting devoted
its attention to these reports an under
cover explosion in the United Auto
mobile Workers appeared near with
the arrival of Walter Reuther and
Wyndham Mortimer, leaders in the
faction fighting President Homer
Martin. All sides in the intra-
union battle declined any comment,
but it is expected that the c. I. O.
leadership and possibly the entire
group assembled here may be drawn
into the controversy before the week
= eu$.