The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-11-18

Crux of this civil war Is who shall coKtrol the CIO: Lewis, plus his Communist-fellow traveller al- lies; or the big. pro-New Deal unions. The fight involves two separate prizes: W the presidency; (2) the executive council.
 Under the existing CIO Set-up, each of the 43 affililates has rep resentation on the council. This means first, that the twenty little unions, with less than 25,000 mem- bers, mostly of reddish tinge, have a diSproportionate voice in the council; second, that the council is too costly and cumbersome for frequent meetings. thus giving the president what amounts to a free hand.
 John L. Lewis and his left-wing cohorts want to retain this set-up. The anti-Lewisites are determined either to liberalize it or quit the CIO.
 RED PLANS
 The strategy of the leftists at Atlantic City will be a draft Lewis" movement, led by Joe Cur ran, noisy Maritime head; Harry Bridges, Pacific Coast longshore- mems boss; and Ben Gold. Com munist president of the Fur and Leather Workers.
 In case the move to reinstate Lewis by exclamation fails, the strategy will be to elect "cOm- promise or stooge as successor to Lewis, thus preventing any change in the executive councils organ ization.
 Lewis denies that he has any hand in these undercover plans. He is keeping strictly aloof, says John L., and will resign in good faith. But his foes assert that he is working just as furiously be- hind the scenes to retain CIO control as he did in applying the screws to line up for Willkie.
 Some of the Red leaders dark ly hint that if the anti-Lewis group gains control, they will bolt. If they do, it will save the antis the trouble of throwing them out. which they plan to do when they get in the saddle.
 ANTI-RED PLANS
 The program of the antiS is CD to bust Lewis and replace him with an anti-Red successor; @ to make the executive council an ef- fective body by reducing It to six or eight elected members.
 Leaders of the anti group are R. J. Thomas. head of the Auto Workers; s. H. Dalrymple, presi- dent of the Rubber Workers; Emil Rieve, boss of the Textile Work CTS; and Sidney Hillman, National Defense Commissioner and presi- dent of the Amalgamated Cloth ing Workers.
 They are determined to smash Red influence within the CIO once and for all, and to house. clean the network of hand picked functiOnaries built up by John l.. Lewis. The fight will be waged on the basis that unless it is won, these powerful leaders are washed up with the CIO.
 At least three of the big anti Lewis unions have a quiet under standing that they will set up a new federation of their own if their plans fail at Atlantic City. MINERS REVOLT
 Meanwhile Lewis is having a very stormy time within his own United Mine Workers.
 Under its bylaws he is sure of reelection, since nominations for president closed several months ago, and he is the only candidate. Phil Murray, UNIV president, was backed by several locals, but refused to enter the race against ais old chief.
 This means that Lewis S25,- 900 . year plus-expense are safe. But that isn't keeping the rank and file from talking re- volt. In scores of UNIV locals In Pennsylvania. West Virginia. Ohio, Kentucky and other minor states there is fierce resentment against Lewis antics ln the re. cent campaign.
 District leaders report pictures of Lewis being draped with crepe and placarded with signs reading. ."0ur lost leadeF," "he was Q good