The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1938-11-17
Lewis Report To
CIO Convention
Declared Fraud
VIM. Green Finds Fault With
Announced Membership
And Finances

the Committee for Industrial Organ
ization, to that dual and secession
group which opened it's "first consti-
tutional convention" to set up a per-
manent organization in opposition to
the A. F. of l.. at Pittsburgh, Pa, on
November ID.
Lewis's claim of C.. l. o. member
ship of over 100000 was a falsified
figure used to build up a paper total,
and the claimed income of over three
and one-half million dollars during
three years was wholly unreliable be-
cause it did not disclose the sources
that provided this alleged fund, Mr..
Green said.
In addition, the A. F. of L. chief
declared Lewis's assertion that the
Pittsburgh convention Of the C. l. O..
secessionists would forward unity in
the labor movement was an absolute
classification of the facts.
The text of Mr.. Green's statement
follows:
Filled With Misleading Claims
"It is clearly evident from an ex-
animation of the report of the chair
man of the C. I. o. to that organiza-
TONS first convention that his ac-
counting to the membership for the
last three years is fraud.
"No patent medicine literature ever
contained more sweeping and mis-
leading claims than this report.
'It constitutes a deliberate attempt
to deceive the members of the C. l. o.
and the public. Apparently the lead
ers of the C. l. O. have been driven
to desperation by their failures in the
organization field and on the political
front.
"After three years the C. l. o. can
not or dare not submit straight
forward report of paid-up membership
or finances. Instead the members and
the public get the same oud supported
claims.
Membership Report Is Padded
"Who will believe the C. l. O.'s to-
tai membership claim of 4,037,S77
given in the report? The breakdown
by unions discloses the amazing in
fation, stuffng and Justification en-
ployed to reach this paper total.
"For instance, the membership of
the United Mine Workers is listed as
612,113. Yet the last official report
of that union gave it's membership as
447,824. This included the member
ship Of District SO which was given
in the U. M. w. report as 1854. But
the G.. l. O. report lists the member
ship of District so separately, and
over and above the N. M. w. men,
bership, as 55,220.
"The Steel Workers Organizing
Committee claims 525,612 members in
the G.. l. O. report. Is there any proof
that it has even a mere fraction of
that number? The Textile Workers
Organizing Committee lists 450,30O
members. All our information from
accurate and direct sources, indicates
the T. w. O. c. has fewer than $4,000
paid-up members.
GAS final example of the general
imitation, the 250,O00 members of the
International Ladies Garment Work
ers Union is included in the total. Yet
this union has withdrawn entirely
from the C. l. o.
"These are just few instances of
the deliberate padding which runs
right down the list. 1t would be too
burdensome to analyze them all.
Financial Report Based on Juggled
Figures
"Then take the financial report.
! Tbic ic CT fn tho loo r
The financial accounting of all the
activities of the C. !. O. for three
years is given on one brief page. 1t
is said a total income of S3,54O,35S.62
was received by the c. l. o. in the
last three years. From what specific
sources? Careful scrutiny of the re-
port fails to yield a clue.
slow much of this sum was con-
tributed by the United Mine Workers,
the financial angel of the G. |. o.?
The report does not indicate. Yet the
financial statements of the United
Mine Workers Union show it con-
tributed more than S2,000,0OO to the
support of the C. |. o. and it's agencies
in the last year alone.
Chow about the new affiliated
unions which are said to be self f-sup-
porting now? The report shows the
C. |. O. advanced $1,31O,l7S to affili
ates but gives no breakdown, account
ing or explanation.
Lewis's Labor Unity Statement
Falsifies the Facts
"On the subject Of peace, the c. |.
0. report says:
"'The first constitutional convention
of the C. |. O. is likely to prove one
of the most effective steps yet taken
in the direction of labor unity
SLOW in the name of common sense
can anyone believe such bare falsifi-
cation of the facts?
"Only a few days ago the Interna-
tional Ladies Garment Workers Union
severed all connections with the c. L.
O.. for this stated reason:
"'The formation of permanent ma
tional union to supersede the C. |. o..
would, in our judgment, sharpen the
conflict in the labor movement and
would create greater obstacles for
ultimate reconciliation