Evening star., 1937-12-04
H0PESFORP PEACE
OF UNIONS SINK
Green and Lewis Close
ParIey Without Finding
Acceptable Plan.
BY JOHN c. HENRY

The up -again-down-a again hopes for
peace between the Committee for In
dustrial Organization and the Ameri-
can Federation Of Labor were very
much on the down side today as
observers contemplated the apparent
ly complete failure Of John L. Lewis
and William Green, leaders OF the
two factions, to make any progress
toward effecting a reconciliation be-
tween the two groups.
Meeting last night for the third
time in 36 hours, these two and
Philip Murray Of the c. I. o. and
George M. Harrison of the A. F. of l.
parted two hours later with the curt
announcements that they had reached
no conclusions and would make no
recommendations in reporting back to
their full committees. The full COM
mittees, composed of ten from the
c. I. O. and three from the A. F. of l..
will meet again on December 21, 1t
was announced, with no interim ne
gotiations expected
The patient Is pretty damned
sick" one of the quartet admitted
ruefully after they had gone their
separate ways.
Might Be the End.
Failure Of the four, sitting as SUBJ
committees Of the main negotiating
committees to make any positive prog
ress toward an agreement apparently
removes Mr.. Lewis and Mr.. Green
from the conference picture-and per-
haps even removes the picture itself
1t is considered possible, for instance
that the fun committees may meet on
December 81, announce receipt of mo
conclusions and no recommendations
from the subcommittees, and then ad-
journ indefinitely or permanently.
1t was learned after last night g
session that the obstacle throughout
has been disposition of industries
where dual unions exist, there being
about 20 in this category, as COM
pared with IL industries where the
A. F. of L. has no material represen-
tation and is willing to surrender
complete jurisdiction to the vertical
union organizations.
A. F. of L. Wants Settlement First.
c. I. o. conferees, it is understood,
have insisted that their other 20
afiliates be admitted to the Fedora
ton at once, along with the II re-
instatements offered, with settlement
of the conflicting jurisdictional claims
to come later. The A. F. of L., on
the other hand, is understood to be
insisting that the complications in
these 20 industries be ironed out by
subcommittees in advance of admis-
sion to the Federation.
Emerging first from last nights
session, Mr.. Green and Mr.. Harrison
had little comment to make beyond
their report of no conclusions and
announcement Of the meeting on De-
cember 81.
Asked If he and Mr.. Lewis were to
attend the December II session, Mr..
Green said:
' We're not members of the full COM
mittees."
Both Of the A. r. Of L. conferees
declined to express an opinion rs to
whether prospects Of unity had been
improved by the meetings Of the two
leaders.
Lewis Says mo Recommendation"
Questioned similarly as he emerged,
Mr.. Lewis said:
THE subcommittees reached no
conclusions. We are under obligation
to report back to the full committees.
There will be on recommendations. I"
Asked If this outcome of their meet
ing could be interpreted as progress
or lack Of 1t, Mr.. Lewis repeated:
There will be no recommendation" I"
He also said there was no plan for
further meetings between himself and
Mr.. Green.
The latest development in the ne
gotiations will be reported by Mr..
Green and Mr.. Harrison to the Execu-
tive Council Of the Federation today.
Completing its draft Of recommends
ttons for wage and hour legislation,
this group y not expected to take
any formal action ON the unity negoti-
ations.
Mr.. Harrison viii Leave tonight for
Buffalo where . national conference
Of railway labor representatives u
scheduled to meet on Monday. Mr..
Murray left last night for. Pittsburgh,
where he i preparing for the first con-
vention Of members Of the Steel Work
ers Organizing Committee, scheduled