Evening star., 1940-10-28
3U. A. W. Officers
will Ask Roosevelt
To Speak in Detroit
Lewis Aid for WiIIkie
Causes Wide Split
Inc. |. 0. Ranks

United Automobile Workers of
America, which has repudiated the
action of the G. I. o. chief, flew to
New York for luncheon engage
ment with President Roosevelt at
which they proposed to urge him to
make campaign speech in Detroit
The men are R. J. Thomas, presi-
dent, and Richard Frankensteen and
Walter Reuther, international board
members. The trip followed a ses-
sion of auto workers in Detroit yes
terday at which approximately 600
officers and executive board men,
bers of the Michigan U. A. w. ex-
pressed keen disappointment and
disapproval" of Mr.. Lewis action,
while promising the President "en-
thusiastic support"
The Associated Press reported,
however, that Mr.. Lewis, who has
offered to quit the presidency of the
c. I. o. in event of a Roosevelt
victory, was praised by several U.
A. w leaders, including President
Thomas, and that there was no
formal reference to his offer to re-
tire.
Represent 100000.
The meeting was described by Off
GERS as virtually tantamount to a
special convention. The men pres
ent were said to represent approxi-
mately 3000 600 of the unions claimed
national membership of $4,000.
Union officers were authorized to
telegraph President Roosevelt as
surance of the U. A. WIS continued
support of the New Deal, and it was
decided to name a committee to
invite the President to Michigan $50
he can learn for himself how the
automobile workers feel about him."
The resolution adopted citing the
unions convention Endorsement Of
, President Roosevelt said that Mr..
Willkie had been indorsed by Henry
Ford, Tom Girdler and other arch
enemies of labor"
Mr.. Thomas got in touch with
Stephen Early, presidential secre-
tary, after the meeting and later
announced that he and his aSSoci-
ates had accepted an invitation to
have luncheon with Mr. Roosevelt
in New York
Leaders of the U. A. VIC. 7. O.
said that in event Mr.. Roosevelt
accepts the invitation to come to
Detroit. they would seek to arrange
a half-holiday in automobile plants
for workers to hear the President.
Telegram to President.
The telegram the members sent to
M. Roosevelt said:
I'VE have today resolved to in
tensify our every effort between
now and election day to keep you
in the White House and Mr. Willkie
in the house of Morgan. -
In this fight we stand solidly be-
hind you against the WILKES, Fords,
WeirS and Girdlers at home and
against the aggressors, Hitler, Stain
and Mussolini, abroad"
Other developments over the week
. end we're:
Some local unions in the West
Virginia coal fields demanded that
Mr.. Lewis resign from the presi-
dency of the United Mine Workers
of America and several telegraphed
President Roosevelt pledging ''unani-
nous support"
Over in turbulent Harlan County,
KY. William Turnblazer, district
president of the United Mine Work.
ers, told a crowd of 500 persons that
Harlan County miners will vote ac-
cording to the dictates of their own
conscience" He did not mention
Mr.. Lewis decision to support Mr..
Willkie.
G. o. p. Issues Statement.
The Republican National Commit
tee here made public a statement
by James F. Barrett, A. F. of L.
organizer in the South, stating that
relations between the Georgia Power
Co. "a subsidiary of Commonwealth
and Southern, the corporation Mr..
Willkie headed before his nomina-
tom and the A. F. of l.. were ito
the best interest of all concerned" J."
The committee said the statement
answered the smear attacks" on
MI. Wilkes labor record.
National President Joseph Cur
ran, two other officers and three
organizers of the National Maritime
Union &C. I. o. telegraphed Mr..
Lewis from New York their ap-
proval of his criticism of the Roose-
velt administration, which, they
charged, "has no right to expect
the support of laboring millions
whom it has consistently betrayed"
James Robb of Indianapolis, In
diana regional director for G. l. o.,
announced his personal support of
the Lewis plea for Mr.. Wlllkie S
election. He made the statement
after presiding at the Indiana State
Convention of the c. I. o. Steel
Workers Organizing Committee,
which voted to back President
Roosevelt.
Emil Rieve, c. I. o. vice president,
in a radio address called Mr.. Lewis
"a tragic lost leader" returning to
the "outmoded philosophy of the
Republican party Mr.. Rieve, who
also is president of the c. I. o. Tex
tile Workers Union, said that
unions Endorsement of Mr.. Roose-
welt still stands"
Speech Condemned.
New Hampshire and Vermont
units of the C. I. o. Textile Work.
ers' Union went on record as con-
demning the Lewis speech, as some
thing delivered on his own inltia-
tive without consulting the G. L.
o. Executive Council.
F. Harold Dubord, Names Demo-
cratic national committeeman, as
serted in a speech at Waterville,
Me, that Mr.. Lewis was false
leader" and that thousands of in
dependent voters throughout the
country will support President
Roosevelt because John L. Lewis is
against him.
At the same Waterville rally,
Joseph P. Kennedy, jr., son of the
Ambassador to Great Britain, char
acterized the Lewis Endorsement of