Evening star., 1937-07-18
c. |. 0. TAK|NG0N
AT. OF |. ASPECTS
Lewis Forces May Adopt
Further Similarity, That
of Convention.
Ey the Associated Press.

Ey the Associated Press.
The loosely organized Committee
for Industrial Organization is Begin
ming to take on some of the aspects
of its arch-enemy, the American
Federation of Labor
Each now has members Of two
types, affiliated national and interna-
tional unions and directly affiliated
local unions Each collects dues from
these unions. Each has an Executive
Board to make administrative de-
cisions. Each has a leader to make
decisions between board meetings.
The original aim of the rebel C..
I. O., as announced by its leaders,
was to organize the unorganlzed in
the "basic" industries and to bring
them under the banner" of the A. F.
of l..
John L. Lewis lieutenants now are
organizing workers almost everywhere
they find the workers willing to join
up. They have taken in grave dig
gers, garbage collectors, incubator
workers, stockyard hands. suspender
makers, stenographers and casket
makers along with steel, textile, auto
and rubber workers.
A. F. L. Affilia ton Plan Crashes.
Any idea of bringing these and
ner' of the A. F. of L. cola psed last
September. when the A. F. of L. sus-
pended 10 unions associated with the
c. I. O.
Lewis has ordered his organizers
to keep out of only three Industries
railroads, building construction and
general trucking. Labor men see in
this order an indication that Lewis
hopes eventually to put out of busi-
ness all A. F. of l.. unions except
those in these three industries and
to win them to the c. I. O. cause.
The A. F. of L. on the other hand,
recognizes only part of one indus
try as forbidden ground. 1t recog-
nizes the operating end Of the rail-
road business as the territory of the
independent railroad brotherhoods.
1t already has invaded industries
claimed by those c. I. o. unions
which once belonged to the A. F. Of
l.. For instance, it chartered the
Progressive Miners of America. rival
to Lewis United Mine Workers in H.
lnois
The basic issue between A. F. of L.
and c. l. o. has long since been for
gotten. Lewis, who left the A. F. of
l., because he said the federation re-
fused to organize mass production
workers by industry, has started sew
eral craft unions The A. F. of l..
has started a number of industrial
unions to combat c. I. o. growth.
There still are several striking diff
ferenceS' between the two organiZa-
tlons The A. F. of L.. theoretically.
at least is governed by an annual
convention of delegates from each
member union. The C. I. O. is talk
ing Of holding convention, but has
no definite plans for one.
&C. l. o. has come to mean the
whole Lewis movement Technically
1t Is a committee of union leaders,
most OF whose unions have voted sup
port or sympathy for the Lewis cause.
x
bers. but 1t has not met since it grew
to that size. Decisions between meet
ings are made by Lewis as chairman,
or John Brophy executive director.
The A. F. of L. has a constitution.
The c, I, o. has none. although one
mas been drafted subject to approval
Of the first convention,
The c. I. O. has a regional director
in nearly every State. The A. F. of L.
has few branch offices in large in
/ dustrial centers. but most of its re-
glonal business is left to the officers
OF subordinate State federations of
labor.
A. F. of l.. Seeks War Chest.
A F. Of L. dues are cent a member
each month from each affiliated ma
tlonal or international union and 35
cents month for each member of a
directly affiliated local union. tThe
Executive Council has asked each
national and international union to
double its dues during the fight with
Lewls.)
The c. I. 0. has assessed each af-
AAAthsNN ana international
union cents month for each mem
Der, and each directly affiliated local
SO cents
Both the c. I. o. and the A. F. of L.
nave large staffs of organizers. The
Z. l. Q. has 275 on its pay roll. The
A. F. of L. has upwards of 200 Each
mas lose working agreement with its
members regarding assignment of
organizers. One day the parent body
| VIII lend organizers to member unions
the next the unions will lend organ
lzers to the parent body.
Two c. I. O.. subsidiaries, the Steel
Workers Organizing Committee and
the Textile Workers Organizing Com
mlttee. have about 700 organizers on
their staffs. These committees AL
though part of the c. l. o. in its larger
sense, are really independent unions