Evening star., 1937-10-31
BY JOHN C. HENRY.

today dangerously close 20
snipers on both sides of labor's
L civil war. II it lasts that long.
the weak winged bird may flutter its
way into the air again on November 4,
but betting to that effect Is not heavy.
Bluntly, prospects of reconciliation
between the American Federation of
Labor and the Committee for Indus
trial Organization were ominously
dark after three days of stilted nego-
tiation between special committees Of
each group. On Thursday the con-
ferees plan further meetings, but only
a change in tactics by one or both
can lead to any real progress toward
the settlement of differences.
Briefly, in the low-boiling-point ne
gotiations of last Tuesday and We'd
nesday, the c. I. o. proposed that
the A. F. of L. turn over virtual con-
troll of the labor movement as well as
promise to stay out of the most fertile
fields for extension of the movement.
With even less regard for the practi-
calities of situation, the A. F.. of l..
countered by proposing that the call
endar be turned back two years, that
the status quo of that date be re-
stored and that everything that has
happened in the interim be cata-
logued as "ain't So"
Both positions apparently are maxi
mum demands, from which there
might reasonably be expected certain
concessions. Through their bare
presentation, however. the c. I. o.
conferees seem to have achieved
strategical advantage, mostly psyche
logical in effect.
The A. r. LIS State of Mind.
The achievement of this advantage
can be traced to a state of mind in
the A. F. of L.-evidently the state
which led them to suggest negotiating
on a 1885 basis rather than the basis
of 1937-namely, refusal to acknowl-
edge that they are dealing with foe
of equal strength.
From that November day in 1885
when John L. Lewis and small
group of determined associates Gre
ated the c. I. o. certain powerful
individuals remaining in the councils
of leadership of the A. F. of L. have
steadfastly refused, publicly at least.
to admit that the Lewis faction was
one of increasing powerr. Day by
day they have predicted its collapse
and disintegration.
And when the c. /. o. initiated
movements for peace by their tele-
graphed proposal from Atlantic City
to Denver some two weeks ago, these
same individuals merely started to
count their winnings" Through
succeeding days their attitude seemed
justified, as the c. /. o. receded first
from its proposal for 100 champions"
Of peace and then consented to con-
duct final negotiations with the
three-man Federation committee
which they had been spurning for
two years.
On Tuesday morning, after a pre-
liminary day in which the A. F. of L.
won the point last mentioned above.
spokesmen for the Federation showed
up in confident mood, but it was at
this point that the c. l. o. launched
its counter attack in the form of
its proposal, released to the press
as the morning conference opened.
that industrial unionism principles
only be applied to the Nations great
basic industries, that the c. I. o. be-
come an autonomous department
within the A. F. of L., and that ex-
elusive jurisdiction in these major in
dustries be assigned to the new de-
partment. In addition they demand
ed a joint convention, in which they
would apparently be the majority
faction, to ratify the agreement.
The reaction was obvious and not
an imaginary thing.
Green Declines Comment
The Federation negotiators emerged
gruff1y, Chairman George M. Harri-
son snapped angrily when told of q
wise crack" by member of the
C. I. o. committee, and the trio re-
tired into complete seclusion until
the following morning. At the offices
of the Federation President William
Green declined comment, and an
equal amount of grimness was ap-
parent IN other Offices.
This, then, was the strategical ad-
vantage achieved by the C. I. o. ne
gotiators-they had made the opposi-
ton angry.
On Wednesday morning the A. F.
of L. made its counter proposition
that the original G. I. o. unions be
restored to membership in good stand
ing in the Federation-under their
same charters, which in some cases
were definitely restrictive-and that
all the organization progress made
by the c. I. o. in the past two years
then be subject to series of con-
ferences, which would ultimately be
settled at the next convention of the
Federation.
Even before deliberations of the
morning had ended, and soon enough
for the early afternoon papers, the
c. /. o. committee publicly an