Evening star., 1937-10-28
PRESSURE IS SEEN
LABOR PEACE KEY
Administration Efforts and
Public Opinion Appear
as Only Avenues.
BY JOHN c. HENRY.

Administration pressure and aroused
public opinion today appeared to be
the only forces which might compel a
peaceful settlement of labor's civil war
as negotiations for reconciliation be-
tween the American Federation OF
Labor and the Committee for Indus
trial Organization moved into the
pame-calling stage.
With conferences in recess until
November it was indicated most OF
that time may be spent in recrimina-
tions released in the names of the now
unfriendly confcrees.
In the near background, however,
are open consultations with represent
atives of the Federal Government.
Most active of the administration
consultants has been James F. Dewey,
Department of Labor conciliator, who
has been shutting back and forth all
week between the headquarters OF
John L. Lewis. c. I. o. head, and Will
liam Green, A. F. L. president.
Senator Berry Returns.
Yesterday as the conferences broke
up in an atmosphere of i'll feeling
Senator Berry, Democrat OF Tennessee,
president of the Printing Freshmen
Union of the A. F. of L., returned TO
washington for conferences with both
sides. Senator Berry has been on good
terms with both factions throughout
the two-year controversy.
Most fruitful effort of the admin
Istration may result from confer
ence scheduled between President
Roosevelt and Matthew Woll, an A. F.
of l.. vice president and member OF
their Negotiating Committee, in Hyde
Park in a day or two. Mr.. Wolf was
requested to see the President, it was
understood, to discuss action contem-
plated during the coming special ses-
sion on the wage-hour bill. 1t is eX-
nected, however, that Mr.. Roosevelt
NAV advance a few suggestions on
the settlement of laborS internal diff
ferences, a situation which has en-
barrassed the administration on sew
eral occasions.
Little Accomplished.
AS for actual progress in the nego-
tiations little ha been accomplished
beyond the placing of each side on
record on its maximum demands. In
over the A. F. of l., con"eding only
that the unified movement might re-
tain the name of American Federation
Of Labor C0untering, the A. F. of l..
offered to turn the clock back two
years and then launch into argu-
ments that whatever has happened
since then Just cant be true"
The Federation negotiators were
currently ahead in the name-calling
exchange on the strength of state
ment issued late last night by George
M Harrison. chairman of the A. F.
of L committee.
Charging that the C. l. o. group
had made 'extravagant and unsup-
ported claims of membership" Mr.
Harrison claimed the rival faction
has little. if any, dues-paying men,
bership other than the members of the
organizations that originally belonged
to the American Federation of Labor
Not Afforded Opportunity.
I'VE did not take up discussion of
the proposal of the C. I. o. because We
were not afforded that opportunity.
While our conference was engaged in
discussion of the proposal of our COM
mittee We learned to our surprise and
amazement that the chairman of the
C. I. o. committee had left the con-
ference room and issued a public
statement without advising the confer
ence. Such procedure seriously jeop-
ardizes the possibility of success"
Claiming the c. I. o. proposition
would simply mean continuation of
the confusion and division, Mr.. Harri-
son concluded:
I'VE have not received any help
from the representatives of the C. I. o.
in composing the existing differences.
Unless there is a change in their at
titude and complete willingness to
approach the consideration of the
problems at issue in a constructive
spirit, it Is doubtful if any progress
can be made toward peace"