The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-10
STEWARD SLUR
DENOUNCED BY
C. |. 0. SPEAKER
Militant N. F. F. E. Head
Returned to Post
BY J. EARLE MOSER,
Times Staff Correspondent


BY J. EARLE MOSER,
Times Staff Correspondents
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,, Sept. 10.-A
sharp rebuk. to Luther c. Steward,
president of the National Fedora
ton of Federal Employees, was is
sued here today by the United Fed
eral Workers of America, in
answer to his recent declaration
that the c. I. o. organization is
composed Of the scum Of the Fed
eral service"
Stewards statement, in which
he declared persons affiliat1ng
with the new c. I. o. group will
become mere pawns in the hands
Of labor manipulators OF doubtful
antecedents." was attacked Bit
terly by Henry Rhine, chief organ
izer Of the U. F. w. A.
LEWIS OK's ATTACK
Rhine's stand was taken after a
conference with John L. Lewis,
C. I. o. chairman, who arrived in
this city late yesterday for visit
with relatives. Lewis would make
no statement, but it was under
stood he approved his Government
unions attack on the oldest and
largest Federal organization.
The U. F. w. A. statement read:
1.-THE copy of the first days
proceedings of this convention
was amazing and shocking. Mr..
Luther Steward, president Of
the N. F. F. E., stated he had
had a conference with Presi-
dent Roosevelt, and then read
to the convention a letter from
the President of the United
States dated August 16. He ne
elected to mention that Mr..
Jacob Baker, president of the
U. F. w. A., was also invited
and participated in the same
conference.
"After Mr.. Steward read
President Roosevelt's letter, he
referred to the employees affili-
ated with our organization as
scum of the Federal personnel
and stated that they would be-
come 'pawns in the hands Of
labor manipulators.'
"It is unfortunate that Mr..
Steward takes occasion time
after time to attack bitterly the
entire labor m ov IN ent in
America. We feel that President
Roosevelt reSents Stewards i'm
plications that the President Of
the United States is opposed to
labor unions"
When informed Of the c. 7. o.
attack, Steward said tersely:
well, that justifies my state.
ment about scum!"
STEWARD REELECTED
Officially ignoring the attack
upon its officers and policies, the
N. F. F. E. convention yesterday
voted reelection of Steward as ma
tional president for the next two
years and again chose Gertrude M.
Mentally as its Secretary-treasurer.
Reelection of the two militant
leaders was not opposed by any
delegate.
Concurrently, the body voted in
favor of San Francisco as the
convention site for 1899, voting ITO
to 1872 against suggestion that
Atlantic City, N. j., be named.
Vice presidents elected follow:
John Fitzgerald, of New York;
Lee Whitney, of Milwaukee;
Charles Wiegand, of Baltimore;
DR.. Walter P. Taylor, of College
Station, Tex; Ulrey J. Biller, Of
the District of Columbia; William
Rapsher, of Philadelphia; George
Evans, of Denver; Arthur Joach-
inns, of Seattle, and Vaux Owen,
of Atlanta.
Ray Saxton, of San Diego, presi-
dent of the California State Fede-
ration of Federal Employees, OPP
posed Rapsher for a vice presi-
dency, but was defeated by 199-140
on roll call.
Yesterdays session of the con-
vention heard a message by'Robert
L. Johnson, president of the Ma
tional Civil Service Reform
League, in which he attacked Con-
gress' attitude in favor of the
Spoils system.
Johnson's statement, read by
Helliot Kaplan, executive secretary
of the league, accused Congress
of "translating' the Presidents
recommendation for extension Of
civil service upward, downward
and outward to mean a spread
of patronage"