Evening star., 1937-06-29
LINK
TO c. |. 0. IS HIT
Irritation Over Financial
Hook-up With Union Seen
Growing Apace.
BY GOULD LINCOLN.


Democratic irritation over the
financial hook-up with John L. Lewis
/ head of the Committee for Industrial
Organization. grew apace today.
Representative Deem of Georgia is
sued statement saying that in April
he accepted an invitation of the
Democratic National Committee to
deliver a speech at Birmingham, Ala
He received a check for his travelling
expenses from Labors Non-Partisan
League, of which Lewis is chairman
of the board and Sidney Hillman is
treasurer.
Not being in sympathy with the
philosophy and policies of Mr.. John
L. Lewis sit-down strike movement, -
said Deem, and believing it borders
on anarchy and eventually will mean
an overthrow of our democratic form
OF government unless open defiance
OF the law is halted, I returned the
check by my secretary that day to
MI. o. l.. Garrison"
The Deem incident is merely in line
with a pronounced diState on the part
OF many Democrats in Congress to
have the party under financial obliga-
tons to Lewis. Already a movement
has started among Senate Democrats
to pay back to Lewis and his organiza-
ton a loan of $4,000 which the c.
l. 0. made to the Democratic National
Committee, in addition to a contribu-
ton from his unions of some $5OO,0OO
for the last presidential campaign.
Demand of Lewis.
The Democrats have disliked very
much Lewis demand on the President
that the administration pay its debts
by support of the c. 1. O. in its ac-
tivities.
Deems statement follows:
"On April IA, 1887, I accepted an
invitation from Mr.. E. j. Mcmillan,
chairman of the speakers bureau
Democratic National Committee, tc
60 to Birmingham, Ala, and address a
Democratic gathering on Saturday
night, April l9.
The invitation was extended and
accepted over the telephone. I was
told ticket would be provided the
following day, as had been the case
on other occasions when I had ad-
dressed Democratic gatherings in
various States during the last two
years.
The following day, April Is, !
received letter from Mr.. o. L. Gar
rison, controller of Labor's Nom
Partisan League, Washington, D. c..
with check attached for s4205 for my
expenses to and from Birmingham
At the same time I received a letter
from Mr., George L. Berry. president
of Labor's Non-Partisan League
thanking me for my willingness to 60
to Birmingham and outlining the de-
tails of the trip"
Berry Now Is Senator.
Berry is now Senator from Ten
nessee, having been appointed by Gov
Browning to flll the vacancy caused
by the death Of Senator Bachman
Deems statement continued:
The stationery on which the let
ters are written bears the name OF
Labor's Non-Partisan, League-George
L. Berry, president; John L. Lewis.
chairman of the board, and Sidney
Hillman treasurer"
After stating as quoted above that
he was not in sympathy with Lewis
and the c. I. O., and that he had re-
turned the check, Deem said he had
notified the speakers bureau OF the
Democratic National Committee that
he could not go to Birmingham.
Il believe" his statement con-
tinued, "in the right and principles OF
collective bargaining; in the elimina-
ton of sweatshop wages and hours
the abolishment of child labor; fair
and just wages for labor; also. I be-
lieve firmly in the right of labor to
(See c. I. O., Page A-5.)