The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-10-10
Facing the Facts
With PHILIP PEARL

John l.. Lewis. The battle took place
at Rochester during the convention of
the New York State CIO Industrial
Council. When the smoke cleared,
Hillman's forces held the fort while
the Lewis boys could be only dimly
seen, rapidly retreating to the left.
Just to get the facts straight from
an impartial source, let US quote from
the New York Times of Sept %.
John L. Lewis, national president
Of the CIO, took his stand with the
left wing, anti-Roosevelt faction in
the State CIO here today. Through
Allan S. Haywood, national director of
organization for the CIO, Mr.. Lewis
directed bolt from the annual con-
vention Of the State Industrial Union
Council by thirteen left-wing unions,
after the Amalgamated Clothing
Workers and other anti-Communlst
unions had won control Of the conven-
lion and introduced a resolution call
ing for third term for President
Roosevelt, which was later adopted.
Both wings held separate meetings to-
night, each claiming to act officially
for the CIO."
PM, the New York tabloid, described
the battle of Rochester as follows:
"In this corner, John l.. Lewis.
"In this corner, Sidney Hillman.
"The outcome of that battle was
split in the State council, the largest
CIO body in the country The ques-
ton many persons are asking is, what
will Hillman's Amalgamated Clothing
Workers do now"
Where is Hillman Going?
The writer of this article goes on
to speculate. He says Hillman may
pull out of the CIO and seek to re-
turn to the American Federation of
Labor. He says Hillman may just
pull out of the CIO and remain in
dependent. On the other hand, he sug-
gests it may be possible that Hillman
may remain in the CIO and continue
to battle for control with Lewis.
Not only the Amalgamated Clothing
Workers are affected. Allied with that
union is the CIO textile Workers
Union, or what remains of it. Also in
the Hillman group is part of the
United Retail and Wholesale En-
ployes, New York union. Some of
it's delegates remained with the Hill
man faction and the rest bolted with
the Lewis group.
We find the entire picture very in
teresting and quite as we predicted
some time ago when he pointed to the
inevitably of a showdown fight be-
tween Lewis and Hillman.
The New York State CIO conven-
ton fully confirms our charge that
Lewis is continuing to play the game
of the Communist Party. All of the
unions that bolted the convention on
Lewis advice are Communist controll-
ed. The Amalgamated spokesman es-
timated that they represented only
one-fourth of the CIO membership in
New York. Nevertheless, Lewis is on
their side.
Where is Lewis Going?
Why?
First, because Lewis is unremitting
in his hatred of Roosevelt and the
Hilman group were equally deter
mined to indorse the third-term cam
paign.
Second, because the Hillman group
are bitterly anti-Communist and, in
fact, adopted resolution after the
bolt condemning Communism, Nazism
and Fascism by name.
Third, because Lewis is resolved to
maintain his one-man dictatorship
over CIO policies even if it means the
secession of Hillman and the unions
sympathetic to his side.
The whole story of the CI0 conven-
ton in New York should be an object
lesson to all trade unionists. Riots
and disorder were the rule. One session
had to be called off entirely because
of Communist demonstrations. At
tempts were made by both sides to
pack" the convention with delegates
of their own choice. Neither faction
was willing to submit it's case to a
fair test and abide by the result. When
the Hillman group demonstrated it
was stronger, the Communist group
bolted rather than submit to the will
of the majority.
All of this is strikingly reminiscent
of the way the CIO was formed in the
first place Rather than submit to the
will Of the majority in the American
Federation of Labor, Lewis and his
group bolted from the 1885 A. F. of
l.. convention and set up the ClO. Now
we find him bolting from the ClO.
We must touch on one other point.
Among the Communist controlled
unions which participated in the bolt
from the New York CIO convention
was the American Newspaper Guild.
That is just one of the reasons why
the bona ide newspapermen in this
country have become thoroughly dis
gusted with the Guild and are leaving
it in large numbers. The most crush
ing Reputation of the Guild that has
taken place since the formation Of the
union occurred in Chicago a few days
ago at the Labor Board elections in
the Herald-American plant. The vic
| tor1, of tho Ut nriopc in that alac-