The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-11-02
Facing the Facts
With PHILIP PEARL

Members of the American Fedora
ton of Labor can profit from a close
study of the proceedings of the c. l.
o. convention in San Francisco. They
can thereby learn how labor organ
ization should NOT be run.
Let's take a look right now. First,
we see a 2O,O0O-word annual report
from the head of the c. l. O. without
single mention-direct or indirect
of labor's most pressing internal prob
lem-peace and unity. We read this
report and fail to find anywhere in it
an accounting of finances or statement
of membership. Naturally, the men,
bers of any organization at their an
nual meeting inevitably ask the ques
ton we'll, how did we do this year?
The members of the G.. l. o. are de-
MED frank answer to this important
and pertinent question by John L..
Lewis.
Why? What's all the secrecy about?
What is the reason for suppressing
vital information on membership and
finances even from the delegates rep
resenting the c. |. o. membership?
Mr.. Lewis won't talk. Undoubtedly
he has good reason for not wanting
to talk on this subject. But it GER
tainly isn't the reason he gave in his
report. He said he was refraining
from submitting financial report "on
advice Of counsel" 1t seems some
unions of the C. |. O. are being sued
for damages. The impression he
sought to create was that the c. l. O.
thought it wiser to hide it's assets in
case judgment was found against it
and creditors tried to collect.
The Real Answer
This was a clever way of leaving
an inference that the C. 1. o. has some
assets to hide. We beg leave to doubt
that. All the information we can
gather adds up to the conclusion that
the C. l. O. is not only broke, but bank
rupt. Isn't it logical to assume that
if the C. |. O. finances and member
ship were in good shape the leader of
the C. !. o. would be proud to have
the whole world know about it? Then,
isn't it just as logical to conclude that
the reason Lewis is not boasting about
|C. |. O. membership and finances must
be the fact that he has nothing to
|boast about?
While we are on this subject of Sec
J., ret finances we would like to inquire
whether everything is all right with
the United Mine Workers, holding
company for the C. l. o. and Lewis
personal plaything. From time i'm
: memorial this union has submitted to
it's membership semi-annual ac-
counting. Here it is we'll into Octo-
Der, yet the report for the six months
ended June 80 has not yet been issued.
Is the United Mine Workers going
broke too? Is the heavy drain on it's
resources impos}ahy Lewis to estab-
: lish a C. /. o. war chest proving too
much for the U. M. w? Is the finan-
cial picture of that union growing so
dismal that Lewis is afraid to have
it's members and the public contem-
plate it? We pause for reply.
X X X
As we remarked at the outset,
Lewis did not mention labor peace in
/. his report to the c. !. O. convention.
r But in his opening address to that con-
vention, he succeeded in blasting the
hopes of the timid and covering mi
nority in the c. l. O. leadership who
still dared to hope for peace despite
the dictum of their dictator last sum-
mer that peace was impossible" Com
pairing himself to a conquering hero
with his usual modesty, Lewis said he
spoke with a small voice in the 1894
San Francisco convention of the A. F
of L., that this year he had an army
. of 4,0C0,O00 (prove it, please) mem
bers behind him and-mark this-that
,, five years from now he will come back
to San Francisco with ten million
dues-paying members.
Z Let's analyze that statement. Lewis
repeated his claim of having 4,OO0,-
! 900 members now, but did NOT say
anything about DUES-PAYING mem
bers now. But five years from now
apparently, he hopes to have LOT
more and on a dues-paying basis. Five
years from now. That means he is
planning to continue the G.. |. 0. foi
another five years at least. Tha;
!, means he hasn't the slightest inten.
S ton of making peace with the A. f
of l.. in the next five years. That
means that everything he has told his
membership and the public in the las,
four years about his desire for peace
is pack Of lies. That means that he
G will spurn the urgent request from the
Il President Of the United States to re,
y sumo peace negotiations Immediately
: A Disgusting Spectacle
Yes, indeed, the proceedings of the
: c. |. o. convention are highly edu
n cational spectacle and a deeply dis
G gusting one. TO anyone with a re
), gard for truth, honor and sincerity
= to anyone who believes in free, inde
. pendent and democratic trade unions
I the autocratic operation of the c.
O. is revolving. Sidney Hillman dareC
: to raise in voice in opposition t.
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