Evening star., 1938-11-16

OTg0n1Sdt1On, IS Weettng IN PttLS-
burgh this ,oeek to effect perna-
nent organization.
PITTSBURGH, Nov. 16.-The c. I.
o. convention quickly completed to-
day adoption of constitution estab-
fishing the union as the Congress of
Industrial Organization and giving
broad powers to the leadership,
after John L. Lewis warned against
attempts to delay acceptance.
The constitution provided a rev.
enue for the new labor group that,
based upon its claimed membership
Of 1854, ,6l2, could amount to more
than $4,000, 900 annually to push for
ward a new organizing drive which
leaders told the convention was the
paramount" question here.
The motion to adopt the 10 arti-
cleS as a whole passed unanimously.
On two sections. when they were
considered separately, there were a
few mo" votes.
These two articles gave the Ex-
ecutive Board the power to name
the date and site for conventions
and assessed small industrial unions
a per capita tax of so cents.
Issue Arouses Lewis.
Mr.. Lewis was aroused by an at
tempt yesterday by West Coast
delegates to hold up considerable of
the second article for another hear
ing by the Constitution Committee.
Mr.. Lewis told the 500 delegates
the Constitutional Committee had
drafted the document after careful
study and conferences with execu-
tive officers, and that the accept
ance of the recommendations was
the only question which could be
answered, he added:
1T is not right and we do not in
tend to let man merely with an
! idea to come here and destroy the
work of this committee"
Shaking his bushy head and wav-
ing his right hand, Mr. Lewis con-
tinued
Il hope there will be no further
AAAAtoAAAASA SCo1lOAll6 Va l1llo llldtOCl.
Bridges Objections.
Mr.. Lewis referred to objections
raised by Harry Bridges. West coast
C. I. o. director: Mervyn Rathbone
! of the American Communications
Association. and Joseph Curran of
the National Maritime Union.
Mr.. Rathbone moved for recon-
mittment of section 2 of the con-
stitution which sets forth the objects
of the congress of industrial organ
izations. including one section pro-
viding for an organization Of men
and women regardless of race. creed,
| color, or nationality"
The constitution of the Communi-
cations Association adds "or political
belief" in a similar section. Mr.
Rathbone said he thought there
was possible conflict" and wanted
to appear before the committee to
settle the difference.
Mr.. Bridges and Mr. Curran sup
ported Mr.. Rathbone, but Sidney
Hillman acting chairman, ruled the
motion out of order.
Mr.. Lewis brief speech was in
explanation of Mr. Hillman's ruling
Work on Constitution.
-Four Of the articles put into the
, hands of the five big unions-on the
! basis of allotted voting strength
, power to direct the affairs of the
organization
Four of the remaining articles
would put into the hands of the
five big unions-on the basis OF al
lotted voting strength-power to
direct the affairs of the organiza-
ton"
Those unions, claiming 202l, ,845
of the 3.787,877 membership Of the
c. I. O., are the United Mine Work
ers, whose president is Mr.. Lewis;
the Steel Workers Organizing Com
mittee. led by Philip Murray; the
Automobile Workers Union, headed
by Homer Martin, and the Textile
Workers Organizing Committee and
Amalgamated Clothing Workers,
both directed by Mr.. Hillman.
Although the proposed constitu-
ton resembled that of the American
Federation of Labor in many re-
spects. the c. I. o. document gives
the central organization more money
in addition to more power.
Each member of a national and
international union will be assessed
per capita tax of cents a month.
At present, A. F. of L. per capita
tax stands at l cent, plus a 1-cent
special assessment.