Montana labor news., 1939-03-30
Labor Movement of the United
States Looks Hopefully to the
Leaders for Amicable and
Just Settlement.
By HENRY ION

by IlEIN11 LON
WASHINGTON. - (FP) - Labor
peace negotiations are scheduled to
enter a new phase when the three
representatives of tn Congress of
Industrial Organizations and the four
representatives of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor sit down at the con-
ference table in New York on March
30.
Thus far the seven negotiators
have explored familiar territory.
Each side has taken the measure of
its opponent and believes it knows
in detail the attitude of the other.
Proposals put forward by the CLIO
and by the AFL have been re-exam-
ined and amplified. Federation ne
gotiators have worked out the mean
ing to them of the CLIO peace pro-
posal, and CLIO negotiators have Sc
cured an explanation of all aspects
Of the declarations offer.
Neither side has found the others
proposition acceptable. AS the fed
Grafton sees the CLIO proposal, the
ALL would lose its identity in the
new American Congress of Labor
and would be forced to relinquish
power to the railroad brotherhoods
who would have the whip hand for
a year.
AS the CLIO sees the ALL proposal,
the CLOS efforts of the past three
years would go for nothing. It's
unions would be split up or go indie
pendent, its political philosophy
would be thrown to the winds, and
it would be treated as a nation van
pushed at war.
To that extent, labor peace nego-
53st9rs 7 deadlocked. 5yaa1a
for pfS9sgsss LES iifough modifica-
ton of the pending proposals or the
formulation of entirely new pro-
posals. In that direction future ne
gotiations will turn.
Negotiations are being carried on
in a tense atmosphere. The last con-
ference lasted seven hours without
interruption. Secretary of Labor
Frances Perkins took part in the dis
cussion for close to three of the
seven hours.
The negotiators met in the confer
ence room of the Department of La
Dor, at the end Of a long corridor on
the third floor around the corner
from the S%ecretary's office. The
room is bare, plain tables and chairs
contrasting markedly with the lux
urious overstuffed furniture and
panelled walls of some of the other
offices.
Outside in the corridor, on stiff
iron chairs sat a dozen reporters,
attention divided between the clock
and the single door to the conference
room, guarded from intruders by a
uniformed guard.
Occasionally the door would open
and one of the c~onferees would
emerge. Instantly he was surround
ed and pelted with questions such
as "Is there gonna be a breakup
soon?" or care you getting any
placer" AS the conferee walked a
few steps down the hall and turned
into the mems room, he would shed
his eager escort only to resume it
again as he ran the gauntlet back to
the conference room.
While morning turned into after
noon, while government clerks put
on their hats and dashed out for
their homes, as editions rolled off
the presses telling the story of Hit
ler's grab Of Mcneil and fighting be-
tween the Slovaks and H%ungarians,
the conference continued.
In that corridor and in the con
ference room the consciousness pre-
vailed that peace negotiations must
go on, hal unity of some sort must
be achieved. At the same time it was
clear that nothing is to be expected
soon and that the process will be a
long and painful one.