Evening star., 1937-10-03
BY JOHN C, HENRY.

TRUGGLING along from one
crisis to another in much the
fashion that Eliza did her
- famous decreasing act, the
American labor movement is about
to plunge into a two-week period of
policy making of utmost Importance
to Itself, to capital and to Government.
Even international relationships may
be affected.
Tomorrow at Denver the American
Federation of Labor begins its annual
convention, with delegates expected to
sit until october Is in consideration
of the numerous important issues
sure to be raised and the powerful
Executive Council then due to meet
for two more days with the idea of
translating into action some of the
convention decisions.
On october IL at Atlantic City about
$50 leaders of the Committee for In
dustrial Organization, the largest
group meeting of this labor faction
yet held, will convene. Scheduled
purposely on dates that conflict with
the A. F. of l.. meeting in an effort
to crowd the latter off the front pages
OF the Nations newspapers, the C. l. o.
assembly may bring more revelations
about the workings and the immediate
intentions of this organization than
ever previously have been made public
The remarkable coincidence of
G. I. o. newsmaking activities falling
simultaneously with those of the
A. F. of L. begins tomorrow night,
however, when John L. Lewis is to
broadcast an address to the Transport
Workers Union. a c. I. o. affiliate, in
convention in New York City. 1t will
be Lewis first public address since
September 3 and undoubtedly will
purposely contain sufficiently arrest
ing statements to rival any develop
ments tomorrow in Denver
Faced With Many Problems.
The more varied convention agenda
Is that facing the Denver meeting as
federation delegates find themselves
mulling over such problems as these:
Cd Whether to bar the doors to any
possible reconciliation with the C. 10.
unions; (2) how mad to be with the
National Labor Relations Board be-
cause of alleged favoritism of the
tribunal toward the c. I. O., and what
might best be done by the federation
II such allegations seem true; (3)
what to do about Labor's Non-Partisan
League, definitely under suspicion of
being dominated by the c. l. O., but
thus far supported and functioning in
many States through the principal
efforts of federation leaders; "a a
legislative program, question revolv-
ing closely about federation attitude
toward wage and hour legislation on
which opinion was divided last year
although President William Green in
dorsed the Black Connery bill with
reservations; go where and how fed
Grafton organization efforts should be
concentrated; 90 whether to ask
Congress to withdraw the United
States from affiliation with the Inter-
national Labor Organization in
Geneva or merely to minimize the
significance of such affiliation by hav-
Ing American representation more
honorary than real; CD whether to
do any house cleaning within its own
ranks-in other words, whether to
re-elect Mr.. Green.
1t is easy to see, of course. that
the G. l. o. is involved in virtually
every problem facing the A. F. of L..
circumstance that is truly significant
OF the defensive position in which the
older labor body finds itself today.
Ford Organization Big Objective.
BY contrast, the c. I. o. expects its
most important deliberations at At
lantic City to center on Cd Organiza-
ton efforts in the resistant Ford
plants and those of little steel, in the
textile industry and in the maritime
occupations; ca the extent and ma
ture OF participation in local and
national politics. 1t is offensive ac-
ton that is contemplated here.
Such a contrast, however, cannot
correctly be interpreted as evidence
that the deliberations and decisions
Of the federation are less important
than those of the c. I. o. The parent
body OF American labor still claims
membership of 100000 workers and
the domination of certain craft unions
OF strategic Importance to American
industry. These are forces which
are not to be dissipated quickly, even
though the c. I. o. may continue
to make relatively faster progress in
adding to its economic and political
power.
And serving in numerous instances
as something more than silent part
ner to the A. F. of L. are employers
forced to choose between the labor fac
tions and SO frequently directing their
influence toward the federation.
Whether such employer decisions are
motivated by distrust of the c. I. o.
or by fear based upon feeling that it
Is the more virile of the two labor
factions is one of those questions de-
pending upon your point of view.
Fundamentally the two answers are
the same. anyway.
c. I. o. Is Big Issue at Denver.
To return to the Denver agenda, the
issue of what policy the federation
should adopt toward possible recon-
ciliation with the c. l. o. may produce
the big story of the convention or it
may produce virtually nothing. Last
years convention at Tampa approved