Montana labor news., 1937-06-03

without qualification subscribe to the
ideals of the A.. F. of L..
ut is contended that the A. F. of L. is i'm
practical and that it will not work. This re-
minds me of a story which has to do with the
famous preacher, DR.. Talmadge.
when asked by a young man whether in
his judgment religion vas a failure, the good
doctor replied: my boy, it has never been
tried"
After receiving, reading and digesting the
above message from MIR. Dillon, l as editor of
this paper can see little hope for peace which
of the leaders of the A. F. of l.. claim they
desire. 1t appears very much as though the
high executives in our organized labor move
ment have reached the stage where they think
they are the masters of the millions of free
American citizens instead of the hired repre-
of this great r~ank-and-file of labor.
When Brother Dillon says: 81 have earnestly
striven to prevent such a terrible calamity
which now appears inevitable" We can only
say to such a statement that such has been far
from our conception of what has been pulled
here in Toledo. Presidenet Green has made
many statements of his great desire for peace
but in every instance there has been the pro-
viso attached that the will of the Executive
Board must be complied with before there can
be any forgiveness for the transgression of the
sacred law. The olive branch rendered has
always had the appearance of having been cut
from a thorn bush. This not only includes Mr..
Green and accredited representative, Mr.. Dill
Ion but also a majority of the A. F. of L.. execu-
tive board whose opinions have been expressed
in writing. From the statements published in
Labor as to what Mr.. Lewis had to say at
the Garment Workers convention just held, it
is quite evident that attitude of 1--WE are the
master" is also entertained by him. AS editor
of this labor paper | have repeatedly stated
that l believe in doing everything humanity
possible to further the organizing of our work
ers into unions. After so years of service am
of the same opinion still. These workers who
voluntarily join the ranks of labor are not
slaves. They are free men and women. When
these officials no matter how high or what
group, try to proclaim themselves as the rulers
they are simply being overpowered by their
own egotism and will ere long find their efforts
as futile as is those of the dog baying at the
moon.
When listening to the talks of some of these
so-called leaders in the labor movement or read
their written message, regarding the activity
of the c. I. o. and its destructive force, one is
apt to be carried away with the false impression
that the things complained of is the underlying
principle and motive of the millions of work
.ers who really make up the organization.
The real truth regarding the present con-
~troversy within the ranks of organized labor,
is the fact that the so-called big shots elevated
ItO hioh nffioio1 nocitiOnc ~ -cO Io+orro;poI 10
be the controlling force that they have made
peaceful organizing well-nigh impossible. We
are given to understand that a minority group
was trying to run the A. F. of L. That this
group with its idea of how organization should
be carried on was voted Down at the Atlantic
City convention. This minority headed by
John l.. Lewis proceeded to organize a COM
mittee for carrying on the plan of organization
which had been turned down by A. F. of L.
convention. This group took unto itself the
name of Committee for Industrial Organization.
The committee composed of the high officers
of ten big international unions were told by
President Green of the A.. F.. of L. by instruc-
ton from its executive board, to quit their
scheme Of organization. This the Committee
for Industrial Organization refused to do and
continued organizing in mass production in
dustries.
Then the fireworks started. The A. F. of L.
executive board suspended the international
unions differed by the Committee for Indus
trial Organization. What a fine example Of
minority rule; here was a case Of a small hand
full of men who took unto themselves the power
Of suspending some two million workers from
the A. F. of L. There was no line written into
IL "a e TIA II
this small group of officers the right to suspend
this great army of workers.
Then the cry of outlaws and dual u~nionism
was set up and SO much propaganda carried
on that it began to seep from the big wigs down
into the rank-and-file. 1t was carried to the
Tampa, Fla, convention of the A. F. of l.. anc
with the absence of representatives from the
suspended unions, the action of the executive
board was upheld by the convention. Since
that time we have heard big noise about the
fOrbearance of the A. f. of T. and of the an.