Evening star., 1938-05-08
GARMENT UNION
MAY QUIT c. l. 0.
Withdrawal Until Labor's
y; Battling Is Ended Is
= Considered.
- the Associated Press.

Considered.
~ the Associated Press.
The Ladies Garment Workers soon
nnGy bolt John l.. Lewis ranks to
remain independent until the Com
nittee for Industrial Organization and
American Federation Of Labor come
70 terms.
The union, one Of the c. I. O.'s
largest, disclosed how seriously it was
considering this course in an editorial
In the current issue Of its magazine,
Justice.
"Some time next fall, it is now rea-
sonably certain, national conven-
ton of the c. I. o. will be held to
found permanent, all-industry Or
ganization on a federative basis" the
editorial said.
"The prospective emergence of a
new c. I. o. as definite rival of the
A. F. of L. with competitive ambitions
In every industry =" = lowers the cur
tain on the old c. I. o.
Three-Sided Problem.
1T creates a new set of circum-
stances which confronts the I. L. G.
w. U. Qadies garment workers.
with triple-sided problem:
"Shall it continue its af1iliation with
the c. I. o. as rival federation te
the A. F. of L.?
Shall it reaffiliate with the A.
F. of L.?
"Or shall it choose to stay outside
either rival organization, remaining
free of alliance until such time as the
skies of dualism have cleared and the
pitfalls of fraternal discord have
been filled?"
For nearly year, A. F. of L. leaders
have been expecting the garment
workers to return. any day, to Their
side in labors civil war. They will be
bitterly disappointed if the union de-
Tcides to assume neutral position
although they may find some solace in
the blow the bolt would be to the
c. I. o.
At the A. F. of L. Council meeting
last August, Council member told q
newspaper man the garment workers
would be back in the fold before the
end of the meeting. Secret negotia-
tions under way at the time, however
failed to produce what the Council
member expected.
Green Farley Reported.
These negotiations have continued
Informed persons say David Dubinsky
I. l.. G. w. U. president, has made at
least one unheralded trip to William
Green's Office, while Matthew Woll
A. F. of L. vice president, has been
in close touch with I. L. G. w. U. Off
cials in New York City.
AS evidence of the A. F. of LIS hope
OF winning over the Ladies' Garment
Workers, the councils order this week
fexpelling six c. 1. o. unions, excluded
the I. L. G. w. U. Mr.. Dubinsky's
union is the only one of the 10 A. F.
of l.. organizations suspended for join
ing the G. I. o. that still has a tech.
nical bond with the federation
Nevertheless, labor observers in
clined to believe that the garment
workers would hesitate long time
before they joined tn c. I. O.s foes
despite the strong A. F. of L. sentiment
in part of the I. L. G. w. U. rank
and file
The reason. these observers said,
was the danger of attack from Sid
ney Hillman's Amalgamated Clothing
workers. If Mr. Dubinsky joined the
A. F. of L., Mr.. Hillman might start
campaign to organize the workers in
womens garment shops into his own
union.
Not on Best of Terms.
These two unions have not been on
the best of terms recently because of
a jurisdictional dispute-the c. I. O.'s
first and only. Mr.. Hillman's union
covers mems clothing plants; Mr.. Du-
binsky's covers women's. But some
mems shops turn out women's tailored
coats, and Mr.. Dubinsky's union said
the tailors who worked on these coats
should belong to the I. L. G. w. U.
This dispute has died down since
the amalgamated brought the pay
scale of its women's coat tailors to
sabout the same level as that in effect
sin the straight women's cloak shops.
But it has not been settled finally.
z A strong A. F. of L. tradition and
"A deep-seated hatred of dual unionism
lie back of the Ladies Garment Work.
ers' thoughts Of leaving the c. I. o.
Moral and Financial Aid.
While the I. L. c. w. U. was
struggling young union, trying to rid
the industry of the sweatshop system,
Samuel Gompers and Matthew Woll
gave both moral and financial support.
The older members, who lived
through the Communist revolt IS years
ago, recall how their union was
threatened with destruction by split
from within.
The unions Executive Board may
decide what course it will follow at
meeting this month. The last con-
vention instructed the board to guide
the course and the destiny of the
union with regard to this controversy
to the end that the best interests of
our international union be safe
guarded