Evening star., 1940-03-27
Politicians Weighing
Solid Labor Vote
AlIeeedIy q Myth, 1t Deters
Changes in Labor Act
In Election Year
By Bertrdnl Benedict.

20 ~~' W ~H~ A~S'SS~sSSs
mot likely in this election year."
answer many of the politicians in WASH
ington when asked II the Labor Rela-
tions Act and It's administration are
going to be changed. Both parties
scared to death of the labor vote. Next
year, mebbe-"
But the record shows that the labor
vote is by no means all 1t is cracked
up to be, and that party-and in many
localities candidate for Congress-may
do at least as well with an anti-labor
as with pro-labor label attached.
The American Federation Of Labor
and the Congress of Industrial Organi-
cations together claim 100000 dues
paying members. The figure is almost
certainly padded, but accept it as the
total union membership to allow for
unionists outside of both the A. F. of L.
and the c. I. o. also for unionists not
paying dues because of unemployment
Even 100000 union members still come
to only about 20 per cent of the 4O,-
100000 voters who are expected to 60 to
the polls in November.
"Mebbe so," says your Washington
politician again, doubtfully, but this
labor element is what mean concen-
trated. It's in the big States, and it's
the big States which pay of on the
presidency"
Well, consider Michigan. That's a big
State-the seventh largest, in fact It's
the home of the great automobile indus
try and affiliated industries, and is reay-
lily studded with workingmen. Frank
Murphy, later Attorney General of the
United States and now associate justice
OF the United States Supreme Court,
was running in Michigan for reelection
as Governor in 1888.
Mr.. Murphy had the support of both
the A. F. of L. and the c. l. o. He had
antagonlzed most anti-labor voters by
his supposed defense Of the sit-down
strike during the labor troubles in the
automobile industry So the lines were
closely drawn in Michigan in 1888 be-
tween the labor and the anti-labor vote.
And Mr.. Murphy lost He lost by over
10000 votes in big industrial State full
OF workers belonging to unions which
were supporting him.
Or consider Pennsylvania in 1888
That's the second largest State. Not
only is about one third of its population
located in the metropolitan areas OF
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh full of
trade unionist and other workers., but
also it is the stronghold of the powerful
United Mine Workers president, John
L. Lewis
In 1898 Thomas Kennedy vice bresi-
dent of the United Mine Workers, ran
in the Pennsylvania primaries for the
Democratic nomination for Governor.
Presumably all the miners went down
the line for Mr.. Kennedy; and presum-
ably most other trade unionists in Penn
sylvania were registered Democrats and
hence in a position to vote for him.
He was oficially supported by Chairman
Farley Of the Democratic National Com
mittee.
And Mr.. Kennedy couldn't win even
the Democratic nomination in Pennsyl-
Sania. He lost by over $4,000 votes. At the
same time, Gov. Earle easily won the
Democratic nompation for United
States Senator from Pennsylvania after
campaign in which he bitterly attacked
and was bitterly attacked by John L.
Lewis and the c. l. o.
"Yeh, I know says the politician,
but what happened there in Pennsyl-
vania In 1888 was because the A. F.. of L.
crowd knitted the c. I. o. guys
But II the A. F.. Of L. members and
the c. I. o. members are on opposite
sides- then all the less need for the
political parties and candidates to fear
the so-called labor vote this year. Con-
slider what happened to Maury Maverick
in Texas in 1938 One Of the leaders,
perhaps the leader. of the left-wing
Democrats in the House Of Representa-
tives, he was warmly indorsed by Presi-
dent Roosevelt for denomination.
Maverick, as the A. F.. of L. agreed,
had 100 per cent pro-labor record.
But at the same time he had warmly
supported. and was being warmly sup
ported by the c. I. O.; and the A. F. of
L. would not vote for any friend of the
c. I. O. The A. F. of L. got behind
Mavericks opponent and Maverick went
down to defeat.
From all present indications something
like that is going to happen in the elec-
tions next November. don't mean that
If party or candidate comes out
boldly anti-labor he will get much sup
port from either labor group.
But I do mean that if a party or a
candidate, while processing to be friend
ly toward the Legitimate" demands of
labor, refuses to play ball with the G. I.
O., that party or that candidate will
receive a goodly number Of A. F. of L.
votes. And vice versa.
Now on the question of altering the
Wagner Labor Relations Act and re-
organizing the Labor Relations Board.
the two camps Of labor are close to
split, The A. F. of L. ut times has Bit
terly condemned the board for alleged
partiality to the c. I. o. For that mat
ter, some of the boards decisions haven't
seemed sufficiently proc. I. o. to satisfy
Mr.. Lewis.
The A. F. of L., mostly organized
crafts, doesn't like one provision of the
Labor Relations Act in particular. That
is the one which lets the board disre-
gard crafts in determining the choice of