Evening star., 1940-06-20

President. For, it may be asked,
what other purpose would there be
now in making the speech except to
help the Hoover boom at the con-
ventiop? There is no more in
common between Hoover and Lewis
than between Roosevelt and Hoover.
But, for political reasons, the
certain values. 1t helps to spread
the impression that Hoover will get
c. I. o. help if elected-something
few who are ex perienced in political
analysis will concede.
Seen As Political Effect.
AS for the statement made by
William Green, president Of the
American Federation of Labor. that
he was bound to admit that Wen
dell Willkie had carried on salts
factory labor relations in his utility
company. This, too, comes at time
when the purpose is to have
political effect. 1t gives hint that
maybe the A. F. of L. will not feel
justified in rejecting the Willkie
candidacy If he wins the nomination.
The A. F. of L. and C. l. O. are
Jockeying for position in politics.
The chances are that despite what
John Lewis has said publicly. he
and his followers will be found
supporting President Roosevelt for
third term. Certainly the c. I. O.
Nf
regime about all that it really ex-
pected, though not, perhaps, all it
wanted. To have control of the
Labor Board under the Wagner Act
is an important prize and the c. I. O.
has dominated the Labor Board for
the last five years.
Naturally the A. F. of L. would
like to have its friends on the Labor
Board and the next President will
have the appointment of new
board. The A. F. of L. has never
taken a position in favor of making
labor single political party. but
has always reserved the right to
favor one or the other of the parties
as the platforms and the candidates
were proclaimed and their attitudes
toward labor have become known.
Choice for Nominees.
The rivalry between craft and in
dustrial unionism would seem to
have become so intense that there is
little chance of compromise. Hence
the presidential nominees will have
to choose between these two points
OF view. 1t Is not unlikely that
Willkie, If nominated, would support
the A. F. of L. idea of craft unionism
and would favor the passage of the
Smith bill now pending in the
Senate which was sponsored by the
A. F. of L.
If the A. F. of L. support is
thrown to the Republican nominee
the chances of electing Republican
to the White House would be i'm
measurably improved The con-
servative Republicans who favor the
outright repeal of the Wagner Act
will not find their progressive
brethren going along with them on
that score. In fact the Willkie point
OF view on social egislation-which
Is that all laws should be fairly and
honestly administered and that
social legislation should be amended
where it interiors with the effective
operation of the national defense
is very likely to appeal to the elec-
torate as sensible platform.
Old Concepts Outmoded.
One thing about the Willkie can
didacy which has been surprising
is the readiness of radicals to grant
that his record is far better than is
commonly expected from an in
dustrialist. What is regarded by
some ultra conservatives as a handi-
cap-Willkies interest in the Jeffer-
sonian principle of the Democratic
party-is in other quarters a big
asset. The Nation today has many
millions of former Democrats and
former Republicans in the electorate
who have outlived the lifelong Re-
publican or lifelong Democratic
concept of politics. If the only OBJ
lection to Willkie is that he voted for
the Democratic platform of 1882.
which was conceded to be model
but which was completely abandoned
by Mr.. Roosevelt when elected. then
1t would appear the Republican