Evening star., 1938-09-04
LABOR AT WAR
ON ITS HOLIDAY
Efforts to Revise Wagner
Act Likely to Be Years
Major Issue.
BY the Associated Press.

warning columns.
The American Federation Of Labor
and the Committee for Industrial Or
ganization both appear determined to
continue their quest for leadership Of
the organized labor movement.
Indications are that union men in
both camps will give thought this
Labor Day to these problems of the
coming year:
l. Efforts to revise the Wagner
Labor Relations Act. The A. F. of
L. favors amending the act: the c.
I. o. defends the act "as is"
2. The continued struggle between
the A. F. OF L. advocates OF craft
unionism and the c. I. O.'s industrial
unionists.
g. Threats of internal dissension in
the G. I. o.
Tagging Industry Hurts Unions.
Eince last Labor Day. the slowing
down OF industry after an early
1887 spurt admittedly hit hard the
rival organizing drives Of the two
union groups.
During the year labor took part in
the off-year political campaigns and
fought recurring threats of wage re-
ductions.
The State and congressional pri-
mary campaigns afforded both the c.
l. o. and the A. F.. of l.. opportunity
to demonstrate their political power.
The Federation, following its tradi-
tional non-partisan policy, scattered
its blessings" on House and Senate
members who supported the A. F. of
L. legislative proposals.
But the three-year-o c. I. O., op-
Grating through labor's partisan
League. put its political operations
on bigger scale. It black Listed"
some 40 House members and en-
deavored to build up what is called
IAN army of pro-labor voters on a
national scale" The leagues cam
paign produced a mixture of victory
and defeat.
Political Campaign Failed.
Some labor men found proof that
the Nation was not ready for a third
party-a labor party-in the c. I.
O.'s failure to nominate candidates
for Governor and Senator in Pennsyl-
vania's Democratic primary.
Near the end of the labor year the
A. F. OF L. began a campaign to
change portions of the National Labor
Relations Act. Its leaders contend
ed the board had too much discretion
ary power and denounced some of its
decisions as proc. l. O."
President Roosevelt. after talking
with President William Green of the
A. F. of L., said the act needed
some clarifying agreements to deal
with antiquities that had developed
in its administration.
John L. Lewis and his c. I. O. pre-
pared to fight in the next Congress not
only the A. F. OF L. proposed amend
ments but also the demands of busi-
ness groups for notifications.
Conference Considered.
Pending possible conference of
labor, Government and industry on
Wagner Act changes the administra-
ton did not commit itself on the A.
F. Of L. demands. But its principal
spokesman on labor legislation, Sen
ator Wagner, Democrat, Of New York
conferred with the Federations Execu-
tive Council
A high light on the labor year was
the peace negotiations in November
and December, designed to reunite the
two wings of organized labor
A series of conferences between
negotiating committees finally pro-
duced tentative basis for ending
the schism that started in 1885, when
the c. I. o. began organizing mass
production workers into industry wide
unions.
two days in personal conferences after
their negotiators had worked for
weeks. but the negotiations collapsed.
Then both sides settled down for a
fight to the finish for control Of the
labor movement.
More Warfare Looms.
Only recently the A. F. of L. ad-
vanced proposals for carrying the
union warfare into coal mining, tex
tiles and the maritime industry
A quarrel over control of the United
Auto Workers Union, dating back to
the General Motors strike in 1887,
split that c. I. o. unions ranks,
and resulted in the custer of three
international vice presidents and the
secretary treasurer
Efforts of Mr.. Lewis to patch up
the quarrel by reinstating the dis
ciplined officers and referring dis
putes to C. I. o. committee brought
the dominant faction of the union,
led by President Homer Martin, to the
verge of break with the c. I. o.
On the West Coast, rubber workers,
auto workers. shoe workers and men,
bers Of the International Ladies Gar
ment Workers Union clashed with
Harry Bridges over his control of c.
l. o. union affairs along the Pacific. |
Deportation of Mr.. Bridges. a native
of Australia, has been asked on the
grounds he was member Of the
Communist party.
Communism Is Prime Issue.
Communist activity in the labor
movement became a prime issue be-
tween antagonistic labor groups dur
ing the year. 1t was made one Of
the big issues in the auto workers
union fight.
When special House committee
headed by Representative Martin Dies,
Democrat, Of Texas began Investigate
ing un-American activities, John P.
Frey, chief Of the A. F. of l.. metal
trades department, laid before it
charges that the G. I. o. was honey
combed with Communists.
Mr.. Frey said he "absolved Lewis Of
the faint Of communism" but charged
that many Of his lieutenants were
either Communist party members or
fellow travellers"
There were numerous localized
strikes during the year, but the only
major strike threat arose in the rail-