Evening star., 1938-11-14
Lewis Pledges
Orderly Labor
Plan for {. |. 0.
Convention Cheers
Chief as He AssuiIs
Jews Oppression
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
The issue OF craft unionism
DerSuS industrial unioniSm long
has been an issue in organized
labor in United States. Leader
OF industrial union theonl is
John L. Le1Dis and leader of craft
theory is William Green. preSi-
dent of American Federation OF
Labor. In fall OF 1885 LeUis and
seDen other labor leaders, then
members OF A. F. L., decided to
organize the unorganised in the
mass production industries along
industrial lines For their action
the A. F. L. expelled all but one
OF the founders.
BY the Associated Press.
PITTSBURGH, Nov. l4.-John L.
Lewis, militant leader of the C. l. O.,
greeted with thunderous cheering
and the fanfare of bands. opened
the first constitutional convention of
c. I. o. today with slashing attack
on foes of industrial unionism and
European oppression Of the Jews.
For several minutes the 500 dele
gates and C. I. o. followers massed
in the convention hall stood and
cheered the c. I. o. chairman. A
band roared out with Happy DAYS
Are Here Again" and the stern-vis-
aged c. I. O. leader finally grinned
and waved his enthusiastic followers
to their seats.
In his opening address, broken
frequently by tumultuous applause
Mr.. Lewis said the c. I. O., in its
f1rst step toward the formation of
permanent organization to rival
the American Federation of Labor.
o1ered "a program of rational pro-
cedure and orderly conduct"
Can't Destroy c. I. O., He Says.
Striking out at criticism and SLAM
der which he said had been leveled
against his industrial union move
ment, Mr.. Lewis said the c. I. O.
slood Tor the protection of the
privileges OF all Americans. whether
they be Gentiles or Jews. or anv
creed or religion, or of any school
OF thought that maintains respect
for our institutions.
Il say to my fellow countrvmen 1"
he shouted, Ito the rich and in
1uential Jews and to the rich and
influential Gentiles, as well. YOU
can't strike down in this country a
powerful movement of the workers
ike the G. I. O., which stands for
equality and for the protection of
any group. minority or religion that
exists in our country"
Mr.. Lewis wrote into his address a
bitter attack on the Nazi regime in
Germany, characterized the oppres-
sion OF the Jews as appalling" and
declared 100000 c. I. o. members
and their dependents" would support
the Government if the American
State Department would protest
these atrocities on the Jewish peo-
pie"
In his attack on the Nazi regime
activities in Middle Europe, Mr..
Lewis referred to what he termed
mad, blood-thirsty wolf of the Ger
man government and said it was
possible that Hitler would try to
extend his realm into the Western
Hemisphere
IT that day ever comes" Lewis
said, who is going to sustain the
United States, man its industries and
send its young men to war? Labor. ;"
And if war comes" he added,
"the United States will need the
cooperation of the millions of work.
ers in the C. I. o.
Sees Plea for Protection.
Il say to the people in high places
who have opened the sluice gates of
propaganda against C. I. o. that
the day may come when they will
rush to the C. I. o. and beg protec-
ton for their special privileges"
Mr.. Lewis avoWed, with his hand
pressed to his heart, that the c. I.
o. supported democracy and the
right of investors to profit, and asked
in return that the safeguards of
the Constitution and the bill >of
rights be extended to cover the most
lowly and humble worker"
He devoted much of his speech
to the success Of the c. l. o. Steel
Workers Organizing Committee in
achieving collective bargaining with
the steel industry in the Pittsburgh
section.
1T is coincidence" said the c. I.
o. leader, that 81 years ago the
(See c. I. O., Page A-10)