The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1938-11-17
vention of the American Federation

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of Labor.
In response to these proposals your
committee suggested that the A. F.
of L. would admit all previously af
filiated unions and all those unions
suspended as we'll as those unions
that withdraw from the A. F. of L..
That after these union were reaffili-
ated any and all other questions could
and would be taken up in conference
and adjusted under the laws Of the
A. F. Of l.. This counter-proposal by
your committee was rejected by the
representatives of the c. l. O.
COnferees Reach Agreement
The balance of our conferences
were then occupied by a general dis
cussion in an effort to develop basis
for agreement. After much discussion
we reached the following basis of
agreement:
That there were no major diff
culties, only minor jurisdictional ques-
tions affecting the twelve original A..
F. of l.. unions that had been suspend
ed and withdrew from the A. F. of L..
and therefore there were no obstacles
to their return to the A. F. of L., but
since the C. l. o. had established
twenty additional unions in the same
fields occupied by the A. F. of L..
unions it would be necessary to con-
slider each of these twenty new C. l.
o. unions separately in an effort to
remove the conflict with the A. f. of
L. unions. In order to progress with
this phase of the matter it was agreed
that:
a. The IL original A. F. of L. unions
would not apply nor be admitted to
the A. F. of L. until all matters af-
fecting the 20 new C. l. O. unions were
adjusted so that the interest of all
would be cared for concurrently.
d b. That joint conference commit
tee equally representative of the A.
F. of L. and the C. l. O. unions would
be established for each of these 20
new C. l. o. and dual or conflicting
unions to resolve the conflict or to
work out mutually acceptable un-
derstanding
, c. That when these conflicts (b)
were adjusted, then the membership
of the G.. l. o. unions would be ad-
mitted into the A. F. of l.. concur
rently with the original A. f. of l..
Unions.
d. That if all other matters were
. adjusted the A. F. Of l.. Committee
would consider recommending the
amending of the Constitution of the
. A. F. of l.. to provide that the EX-
ecutive Council Of the A. F. of l..
could only suspend an affiliated In
ternational or National union or re-
woke it's charter on direct authority
of convention of the A. F. of L.
e. That special convention of the
A. F. Of l.. would\ be held within a
reasonable time (sixty to ninety
days. after all matters were adjust
, ed and all affiliated organizations
would be entitled to representation
with all rights and privileges of other
: A. F. of L. unions. 10 s.
) f. That we would agree to specify
: certain industries where the industrial
form of organization would apply.
Murray Asked Delay to Confer With
His Principles
AS stated above, this basis fol
: agreement was accepted by the C. |
l O. Committee. 1t was further agreed
to advise the Press of the agreement
At the request of Charles p. How
ard, acting C. |. o. Chairman, it was
decided out of courtesy to Mr.. Philip
Murray, who was absent from the
conference at the time this under,
standing was reached, to delay the
t public announcement until he could be
5 advised of the understanding.
, When Mr.. Murray was informed of
the understanding he requested that
the conference recess until another
, day SO that he could consult with his
principals in the c.. |. o.
When the Conference reconvened at
| a later date, Mr.. Murray refused to
carry out the understanding reached
and proposed that the entire contro-
versy be referred to a sub committee
While your committee insisted that
the understanding be carried out, we
did agree to confer through a sub
committee. Accordingly, sub-com-
mittee of John l.. Lewis, Philip Muir
, ray, William Green and George NJ
Harrison was appointed
Lewis VetOes Conference Agreement
, This subcommittee met promptly
, At this meeting your representatives
urged Mr. Lewis to accept the under
standing reached with the representa-
tives of the c. |. o. This he declined
to do. He vetoed what they had
agreed to-
Mr. Lewis then proposed that the
!, A. f. Of l.. charter and admit
ALL c. |. o. unions (32) to the A.
F. of l.. with all rights and privileges
and after they were in the A. f. of
l.. matters of conflict be taken up in
conference but with the understanding
that when these unions were admitted
to the A. F. Of l.. they could not later
be suspended if the points of conflict
were not adjusted
Your representatives pointed out
that the proposal was impractical be-
cause it would establish dual unionism
within the A. +. of L. 1t would settle