Evening star., 1938-11-13
War in Labor Ranks
Heads for Congress.
Smith Under Fire
Senotor Bridges to Fight
Confirmation; Cites Wave
Of Strikes in 1887
b the Associated Press,

b the Associated Press.
The civil war in American labor,
out Of control of the men who
started it, headed last night for the
floor Of Congress.
Whatever moves might be made
toward peace by the forces of labor
itself as q result of Mondays meet
ing Of the Committee for Industrial
Organization at Pittsburgh-and
they appeared doubtful-the fight
was certain to be carried onto q
broader front In the Federal Leg
islature.
That was assured by two United
States Senators, one q Republican
and one a Democrat, In discussing
their post-election plans.
The Republican, Senator H. Styles
Bridges of New Hampshire, an
nounced at Concord that he would
fight confirmation by the Senate of
President Roosevelt's reappointment
OF Donald Wakefield Smith to the
National Labor Relations Board.
Mr.. Smiths place on the board Is
one OF the bones of contention be-
tween labor's warning factions, the
G. I. O. and the American Fedora
ton of Labor.
Favoritism Contended.
The A. F. of L., through its presi-
dent, William Green, and by resolu-
ton at its 58th convention at Hous-
ton. opposed the reappointment and
declared its intention to continue
opposition through political pressure
when Congress reconvenes. It con-
tends Mr.. Smith, along with the
other two board members, has IA
vored the c. I. o. in disputes over
union jurisdiction.
The c. I. O.. on the other hand,
has insisted on no change in the
existing setup.
Senator Bridges did not mention
either of the labor groups in his an
nouncement, but he did inferentially
blame the labor board for the exist
ence IN 1887 of more strikes In the
United States than in any other
single year In the country's history"
The Senator said conferences with
other Senators from both major
political parties convinced him that
"bl-partisan opposition to Mr..
Smiths reappointment is sufficiently
strong to indicate that confirmation
may be denied"
First Whose Term Expires.
Opposition to the Labor Board
centers on the Smith reappointment
just now because he is the first board
member to reach expiration of his
term of office.
While staunch Republican Bridges
was voicing his stand on labor rela-
tions in New Hampshire, an equally
staunch Democrat, Senator Walter
F. George, was speaking his mind in
Georgia.
Southerner George. who success
fully resisted the Presidents effort
to purge" him in the party primary,
interpreted the Republican resur-
gence of last Tuesdays election as a
demand for, among other things:
Modification of the Labor Rela-
tions Act and changes in the admin
istration Of the Labor Relations
Board"
This modification, he predicted,
would take the form of "softening of
the rigid, coercive features of the
labor legislation, and perhaps there
will be even more important revis-
ions as regards the administration
of our labor laws, yet preserving the
gains we have made"
Here again is rock on which the
forces of labor have split. The A.
F. Of L. demands revisions in the
labor law. The c. I. o. demands
retention of the status quo.
Lobbying Power In Doubt.
Whether the c. I. o. or the A. r.
OF L. will have the greater lobbying
power for the anticipated battle in
Congress is still question of dis
pute-as are many of the results of
last Tuesdays election-but Presi-
dent Green has claimed the upper
hand lor the A. F. Of l.. without
meeting counter claim for c. I. o.
Chief John L. Lewis.
The A. F. of L. had indorsed some
Republicans and some Democrats.
Sometimes 1t backed the same man
as the c. I. O., as in the case of
Senator Robert Wagner of New
York. It suffered few defeats.
ON RECORD I HAVE