Montana labor news., 1938-09-08
CLIO Urges Peace in JAW

The Committee for Industrial Organization
is justly proud Of the splendid union which
the automobile workers have built in the last
few years under the inspiration of the CLIO
drive to organize the mass-production in
dustries.
The United Automobile Workers of Amer
lea has achieved dramatic successes which
are without parallel in labor history. 1t
grew from a few thousand members to a
membership of hundreds of thousands in a
few months time, winning higher wages,
better conditions and union agreements
throughout what had previously been an
open-shop industry.
The UAW stands today as a mighty bull
wark for the automobile workers against the
wage-cutting drive of employers who are
seeking to lower their living standards and
those of all American workers.
But this union which has grown and -four
ished despite the most violent and concerted
attacks of its enemies, finds itself seriously
threatened today by internal dissension and
division.
The controversy which has ragged within
its ranks is a threat not only to the welfare
of the automobile workers but to the welfare
of the whole CLIO.
Chairman John L.. Lewis and other national
leaders of the CLIO have throughout the
unions history contributed their guidance
and advice. They have thrown the whole
weight and prestige of the CLIO behind the
UAW in its struggles with the employers.
The contribution of the national leadership
OF the Go to the building of the UAW and
their disinterested concern for its welfare
are widely recognized by the unions mem
bership. There could be no better proof of
this fact than the unanimity with which the
officers and members of the UAW have
turned to the CIO for guidance and aid in
their present internal troubles.
In recent weeks, the national CLIO has
heard from the greater part of the JAW
membership through resolutions and letters
which have poured in from the local unions;
and through delegations of all sorts made up
of both officers and r~ank-and-flers and rep
r~esenting every point of view involved in the
controversy.
Chairman Lewis and the other CLIO officers
have given serious, prolonged and impartial
consideration to all the representations which
have been made to them. And out of their
consultations and deliberations they have
evolved a plan for settling the controversy
with justice to all concerned.
The full text of this plan has already been
submitted to the unions officers and to lead
ers on both sides of the controversy, and
President Homer Martin has declared that
he will call a special meeting of his Inter
national Executive Board to submit it to
them.
All members and officers of the United
Automobile Workers should study the pro-
posal of the CLIO for ending the unions in
ternal controversy.
They should give full consideration to the
concern for their welfare, for the welfare of
the JAW and for the welfare of the whole
Clio which has prompted Chairman Lewis
and the other representatives of the national
CIO in advancing this proposal.
1t is the earnest hope of the officers of the
Clio that the membership and officers of the
UAW will signify their acceptance of this
peace plan without delay, so that their great
union may 60 forward, with unity and har-
mony restored, to the achievement of the
purposes for which it was formed.