Evening star., 1940-02-11
Youth Congress
Continued From First Page.)

to eliminate Mr.. Green's greatest
agony, myself"
The Federation proposal was a
modification of the Lewis plan ad-
vanced early in 1888. Then he sug-
gested that the two rival camps each
liquidate their organizations and
meet with the Railroad Brotherhoods
to form new congress of labor
The A. F. l.. rejected this sugges-
tion. The Brotherhoods gave it a
cold shoulder.
Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, who
has frequently championed the
rights of American youths, sat un-
disturbed near the labor chief as
he assailed her husband. Her knit
ting needles clicked in unconcerned
fashion. She shook hands with Mr..
Lewis and the two engaged in a
friendly greeting.
Joseph Cadden, executive secre-
tary of the Congress, presided over
the afternoon session. When Mr.
Lewis entered the hall amid thun-
derous ovation, the chairman turned
the gavel over to James Carey, Sec
retary of the c. I. o.
Mr.. Lewis approached the subject
OF the peace" convention by allud-
ing to events that had gone before
Secretary Of Labor Perkins and other
administration officials have ex-
pressed belief from time to time that
the rank and file of the two organ
1zations were desirous of union, but
that differences between the two
rival leaders were making peace
impossible.
Reply to President.
The c. I. o. chieftain advanced his
proposal as reply to President
Roosevelt's action in disclosing at
Fridays press conference that Mr..
Lewis had told him before Christmas
that no useful purpose would be
served by resumption at that time
of the White House sponsored labor
peace conference.
Mr.. Roosevelt said that William
Green, A. F. L. president, had ad-
vlsed him earlier that the Fedora
tion's Peace Committee stood ready
to resume the negotiations broken
OH last April. The President asked
last October that the negotiations
be reopened as a patriotic service for
national unity. The A. F. L. Execu-
tive Committee had asked that Mr..
Roosevelt make public the replies
to his request.
Referring to the Presidents state
ment at his press conference that
Mr.. Lewis was solely responsible
for the failure of the conferences
the c. I. o. leader said, well
that is a remarkable discovery, be-
cause have been willing to admit
1t all the time"
He said he had no wish to enter
another conference unless there was
assurance it would be fruitful but
was willing to go into another if
secretary Perkins or Mr.. Green
would assure him that the A. F. L..
position would be different.
Il do not quite understand how
the White House press bureau per-
mitted to go out the statement in
the press that had made no answer
to the Presidents communication on
the subject last October. He then
quoted from a letter he had writ
ten the President on October IS
from San Francisco as the formal
answer Of the c. I. O."
In 1t he said that the organiza-
tion's committee believed the con-
ferences would not be fruitful"
If resumed at that time but would be
glad to give continuing consid-
Grafton" to the questions involved
and would welcome any specific in
formation which Secretary Perkins
may present.
Has No Desire to Waste Time.
Since then, he declared, neither
the President or Secretary Perkins
have indicated they possess any in
formation which might lead to the
conclusion Of a successful confer
ence.
while have every desire to ne
gotiate have no desire to waste my
time nor the time of Others" he
added. "But If the A. F. L. and the
President of the United States are
sincere In wanting peace between
these great organizations of labor
I offer here this afternoon a formula
that will result in immediate peace
and settlement Of the controversy
IN the house of labor"
After presenting his formula in
the form of a united federation, ;"
Mr. Lewis said:
"Now let us see what will happen
with that proposition and let us see
whether the Executive Council, with
Mr.. Green now in Miami, will accept
it or whether they will pick flaws
in it and say that Mr.. Lewis has an
Interior motive.
"And wonder If President Roose-
velt, who Is so anxious to give Mr..
Green my answer on the other pro-