Evening star., 1938-05-04
GUILD REPORTER
BAN HIT BY GREEN
Central Labor Union Bar to
c. !. O. Men Held Threat
to Freedom of Press,

Exclusion Of bona fide newspaper re-
porters> because of their affiliation or
non-affiliation with any organization
constitutes a thgeat to freedom Of the
press, William Green, president of the
American Federation of Labor, be-
lieves. Such freedom, he adds, should
be maintained at any cost.
Mr.. Green's position was made
known last night in answer to a request
for comment on the action of the
Washington Central Labor Union in
refusing to permit attendance at their
open meetings of reporters who are
affiliated with the American Newspaper
Guild. The guild is affiliated with the
Committee for Industrial Organiza-
ton, while the Central Labor Union Is
subsidiary unit of the A. F.. of L.
Personally" Mr.. Green said, II
would be opposed to exclusion of any
newspaper reporters from any press
conferences or open meetings because
OF their affiliation or nom -affiliation
with any group
Such action involves the principle
of freedom of the press and freedom
OF the press should be maintained at
any cost"
Mr.. Green added that he made his
statement without criticism of the
local Central Labor Union because he
was not acquainted with the circum-
stances and reasons for their action.
Further criticism of the c. L. U. ac-
ton came this afternoon from James
Mcnamara. financial secretary of
Local 80 of the Hotel and Restaurant
Employees Alliance, an affiliate of the
A. F.. of l.
Mr.. Mcnamara, a delegate to the c.
l.. u, but not in attendance last Mon
day night, when the exclusion reso-
luton was passed, said:
The action of the local central
body at its last meeting in excluding
from attendance Newspaper Guild
members was vicious assault on the
NANNNoiii Va VAC VI
We feel that labor unions in gem
eral are deeply obligated to working
members of the press and that dis
crlmination should not be practiced
because OF reporters affiliations.
Passage of the resolution was mis-
take
statement of regret at the action
also was made late yesterday by
Robert NJ. Buck, president of the
Washington unit of the Newspaper
Guild.
Last Friday I asked John Locher.
president of the Washington Central
Labor Union, to direct me TO union
workman to repair the awnings on
my home. l did this because believe
in labor organization and that joining
a union would not reduce the effici-
ency of a worker 1t makes no differ
ence to me that the awning man was
a member of the A. F. of L., whereas
1 am member of the C. I. o.
To-day, I learned that Mr.. Locher's
organization has barred Guild re-
porters from its meetings. which.
nevertheless. still Will be open to any
other observers except on the rare
occasion when it goes into executive
session. In Washington. this means
the Central Labor Union demands
that non-union reporters, if any, cover
its meetings.
Il am disappointed that any labor
group can permit an unfortunate but
apparently unavoidable factionalism
TO render it SO lntolerant; to lead it
into an assault upon that major civil
liberty, freedom of the press. OF
course, reporters prefer to obtain their
news by direct observation History
teaches. however, that censorship de-
featS itself. Imposition of added diff
culties do not deter reporter worthy
of his calling from practicing it effici-
emily"
The Central Labor Union took its
action by resolution at a meeting Mon
day night.