Evening star., 1939-03-05
Martin Sounds Call
For Labor Unity as
Faction Meets
Elected U. A. W. Head
Opens Convention Of
Anti-C. !. O. Group
~ the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
DETROIT, March 4.-Homer Mar
tin. ousted from the Congress of In
dustrial Organizations, sounded a
call for unity between the c. I. o.
and the American Federation of
Labor as he opened convention
here today of his faction of the
United Automobile Workers.
I'VE shall fight the elected U. A.
w. president said in prepared
greeting to convention delegates, ito
unite the labor movement within
the automobile industry, as well as
the A. F.. L. and the c. I. O."
Mr. Martin assembled his follow
ers in today's meeting after his
opponents in the U. A. w. called a
union convention for Cleveland
March 81 and gained c. I. o. recog-
milton for their organization. Each
faction claims to be the official"
union; suits for determination of
the issues are pending in Circuit
Court here.
Enthusiastic delegates lifted Mr..
Martin to their shoulders and pa
raded about the hall behind a 12-
piece band as the convention opened
today.
An afternoon session of the con-
vention lasted little more than an
hour when committees advised they
were not ready to report. The meet
ing will be resumed Sunday.
Charters Threatened,
Although no Credentials Com
mittee report was issued, Mr. Martin
announced that at a conservative
estimate 400 delegates were pres
ent. representing, he said. an "ef-
fective and definite majority of the
organized automobile workers."
They assembled in the face of
threats by the c. I. o. to remove
charters of locals which sent official
delegates, and warning by C. I. o.
controlled locals that members at
tending the Martin meeting would
face suspension.
Mr.. Martin, youthful former min
lister who turned labor leader. served
notice before the convention began
that he would recommend that
Communists be denied membership
in the union and that the number
of international vice presidents and
Executive Board members be re-
duced.
He had charged repeatedly that
his opponents, headed by R. J.
Thomas, recognized by the c. I. o.
as acting president, we're Commun-
ist-controlled and that they par
ticipated in Communist conspir-
ecy to seize control of the U. A. w.
A. F. L. Deal Denied.
In his formal greeting today Mr..
Martin said: I'VE have waged a
long and bitter fight against those
elements within our union which
have been subverting the princi-
piles for which it was formed =.
On the delegates to this convention
rests the all-important task of
bringing our union back to health
and reconstructing it on a founda-
ton which can endure"
Completion of the organization
OF tne reconstructed union Will
make official the dual unionism
which has existed unofficially in
automobile plants since the whole
sale suspensions of officers in jan
uary.
Mr.. Thomas charged recently that
Mr.. Martin had made deal" with
A. F.. L. leaders to bring his fac
ton into the Federation, from
which the U. A. w. split to join
the c. I. o. in 1886. Mr.. Martin
denied it and said the future course
of his group would rest with its
membership.
Joseph Cummings. an A. F. L.
representative, attended today's
convention, but told newsmen he
was there "unofficially, just looking
around"