Evening star., 1941-11-21
C.I 0. Session Hits
&c. T.. for Failure 10
Guard Labor S Rights
Convention Ready to
Re-eleet Murray at
FinoI Meeting Today
BY J. A. FOX.
star staff Correspondent.


Federal Communications Commits
sion was accused today by the c. 1. o.
Of failing to protect the rights OF
labor to use the airways.
A resolution said the F. c. c. in
quiry into newspaper control of
radio stations had barred discrimina-
tion and disclosed the threat of
further restrictions by "anti-labor
publishers" and called on the COM
mission for an investigation to de-
termine how far unions had thus
far been affected adversely by the
reputed unfair device of radio time
Another resolution demanded Gre
alton Of wage boards for all workers
growing crops receiving Government
benefits to provide guaranteed de-
cent wages for farm and migratory
labor" The resolution pledged sup
port to farmers in their just de-
mands in the political field and
asked the farmers to back labor.
Approve Rent Control.
Sharply increased wages for Gov
eminent employees were demanded
in another resolution. and in sup
porting national rent-control legis-
lation the convention also approved
the Randolph bill fixing District
rents.
The convention recommended
that base pay in the Army be raised
to $50 monthly, and called for rev.
ocation of the order of the selective
service administrator canceling oc-
cupational deferment of strikers. de-
claring this had converted the con-
Scription law into strike breaking
act"
The pay resolution further con-
demned such Jim Grow practices as
separate regiments
The administration proposal to
increase social security taxes for the
dual purpose Of combating imitation
and financing the defense program
was raped in another resolution.
The convention recommended lib
eralized benefits. but said they
should be financed by progressive
income taxes.
Other Resolutions.
Other resolutions included:
A demand for exemption from in
come taxes for all incomes below
the 1889 exemptions Of $1,000 and
s2.5O0.
Opposition to anv proposed legis-
1ation such as the Bridges bill
which seeks to restrict the rights of
labor under the guise OF attempting
to regulate the internal affairs of
labor unions"
A plea for price control which op-
posed the pegging Of wages in re-
lation to living costs and the estab-
lishmeut of wage ceilings. Tax in
creases affecting wage earners and
forced savings plans under the
guise of preventing imitation" were
opposed.
A demand for incorporation of a
minimum wage OF 40 cents an hour
and a provision for the payment Of
time and half for overtime above
eight hours a day in the national
wage-hour law.
Smith Directs Oil Drive.
Edwin S. Smith, former member
Of the National Labor Relations
Board, who now is in charge Of the
c. I. O. drive to organize workers
in the oil industry, today told the
convention that We propose to
bring the oil industry out OF the
realm of finance" and establish
democratic relations between man.
agement and employees.
Mr.. Smith. who was denied reap
pointment to the board over G. l. O.
protests, was greeted with a rising
ovation. He told the delegates that
the 100000 oil workers can and will
be organized and pledged to carry
out the task in the next year.
AS Mr.. Smith concluded President
Philip Murray in brief talk Salo
nothing could be further from the
truth" than reports published al
the time, that Mr. Smiths appoint
ment to the C. I. o. official staff
was due to his Labor Board de-
cisions favoring the organization.
To the contrary, Mr.. Murray
continued. he had long admired Mr.
Smiths ability and. when the Gov
eminent no longer wanted him
offered the position. He said that
Mr.. Smith had followed the Law
while on the board and he served
"the people and the Nation"
Labor needs men of the type
of Edwin S. Smith, he concluded.
Murray to Be Re elected.
The convention was ready to re-
elect Philip Murray to the presi-
dency for a second term and &C
home.
Outwardly at least. harmony was
restored in the ranks, with major
controversies which have stirred the
five-day session composed-but in
line with the desires Of the gray
haired coal miner who a year ago
took over the leadership of the
organization from John l.. Lewis
his long time associate in the United
Mine Workers.
The last of the opposition to Mr.
Murray seemingly vanished late