The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-09-28
Facing the Facts
With PHILIP PEARL

Comes Earl Browder, official head
Of the Communist party in the United
States, and testifies there are some
10000 party members in the C. l. o.
These Communists, he boasts, are
trained in the techniques of organiza-
ton and leadership and consequently
occupy key positions in the C. l. o.
| Comes Ben Gitlow, former Commun-
list party leader, before the Dies COM
mittee and spills some more beans. Mr..
Gitlow enjoyed doing it. Where Brow
der's memory was vague on details,
Gitlow filled in the blank spaces. The
joint story told by these former asso-
ciates, now enemies, paints the C. |. o.
with a double coat of thick, indelible
red.
Take the case of John Brophy, exec
utive director of the C. l. O. In 1924
John Brophy was the bitter enemy Of
John L.. Lewis. They fought for con-
troll of the United Mine Workers.
Brophy, says Gitlow, was backed by
the Communist party. He lost. Then
he organized dual, rebel movement
within the United Mine Workers.
Lewis denounced him. He denounced
the rebel movement as a Communist
plot to destroy organized labor.
Twelve years later, after he had
formed the c. l. O. as dual, rebel
movement to the A. F. of L., Lewis
hired Brophy to lead the insurrection.
What was back of this strange al
lance? How could these bitter enc
mics find common grOund?.. On what
basis was Brophy, who had been
branded as Communist tool by Lewis.
reconciled to becoming Lewis part
ner?
More Queer Alliances
The Communist party itself sup
piled the answer to these questions. It
adopted John l.. Lewis, once it's most
bitter foe. 1t embraced the C. /. o.
and gave the rebel movement the Of
ficial stamp of approval of the Com
munist party.
If you think it strange that the
Communist party, which year after
year denounced Lewis as the arch
labor faker of America, could swallow
it's words; if you think it amazing
that Lewis could erase from his men,
ory the vicious attacks made upon him
by Brophy and by the Communists; (;
if you think it impossible that people
could so far sacrifice principle to ex-
pediency, then let US recall to your
mind the recent alliance between
Stain and Hitler.
Certainly, if the Stalinites in their
fanatical subjugation to dictatorship
could make common cause with the
apostle of fascism, the instigator of
anti-semitism and the most cruel op-
pressor in modern times Adolf Hit
Ter then they could swallow a tiny
bitter pill like John l.. Lewis.
The evidence shows they have not
only swallowed Lewis but they've di-
gested him. Listen to Gitlow read off
the roll-call of the C. l. O.. executive
board. More than half Of these execu-
tives testifies Gitlow, are either men,
bers of the Communist party or follow
the party line.
These facts make a lot of things
clear They account, in the first place,
for the formation of the c. l. o. and
the attempt to destroy the American
Federation of Labor. There could be
no other valid reason. No issue ad-
vanced by the C. l. O. as the cause
for the rebellion could justify the
tearing and splitting of the labor
movement which was bound to ensue.
Only the Communists could profit
from that.
The Deal
The whole thing clearly was deal
one of the vilest in the history of
American labor. John L. Lewis made
a deal with the Communists who
hitherto had failed to effect breach
in labor's ranks. The Communists
made deal with him. They were to
help him in organizing dual unions, in
supplying cash and volunteer workers
and in campaigning against the A.
F. of l.. The c. l. O. was to give the
Communists a foothold in organized
labor. That was all they wanted. 1t
was just the same kind of defensive
and offensive alliance that Stain
signed with Hitler and, like that vici-
Gus pact, the purpose was to give
democracy stab in the back.
Since the C. l. o. was formed, war
has prevailed in labor. The American
Federation Of Labor has made every
effort to effect reconciliation and
lasting peace. Public officials, from
President Roosevelt down, have taken
every occasion to further peace eff
forts. Public opinion has demanded
peace. Business has pleaded for it..
But the war in labor still is going on
just as strong as ever. Why? What
are the mysterious and secret forces
that have blocked peace and thwarted
every opportunity for reunion?
Again the answer becomes clear
with the factual revelation of the ex-
tent to which the Communist have
dominated and. determined C. l. O..
policies with the cooperation of John
L. Lewis. Neither Lewis nor the Com
munists want peace. The return of
the C. l. O. unions to the A. F. of L..