The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-01-23
Facing The Foc+s
With PHILIP PEARL
Who's Yehudi in the C1O?

Is Phil Murray acting as his "own
man." or is he merely puppet Presi-
dent?
Does Sidney Hillman have anything
to say about ClO policies or has he
been crowded out of the picture?
Has Hillman's position in the natl
onal defense setup cramped the style
of the Fifth Column microbes in the
CIO?
We propose to answer these ques-
tions fully and frankly to the best of
our knowledge and ability.
First of all, Phil Murray is no more
his own man than is Charlie Nc
Carthy. We don't see or hear much
of the ex-President of the ClO these
days, it is true. Apparently he re-
tired into the silences when he re-
tired from the CIO Presidency to the
accompaniment of copious tears and
a brass band. But, take it from US,
he's still in there pulling the strings
to which Murray automatically re-
spends.
For the fact is unmistakable that
Murray is tied to the apron strings
of his predecessor. He has been for
more than twenty years. He is now.
AS CIO President Murray receives no
salary. AS Vice President Of the
United Mine Workers he receives
$4,000 a year. John l.. Lewis is still
President of the United Mine Work
ers. The constitution of that union
gives him the right to remove any
officer for "insubordination" or prac-
tically any other cause. There is the
tie-up Murray is completely de-
pendent on his boss.
What Has Happened to Murray's
Principles?
We have laid off Murray since his
election for the deliberate purpose Of
giving him a chance to assert his
leadership, if any, along constructive
lines He has failed to do so.
Show us single step taken by
Murray to promote labor peace. He
has taken none On the contrary, he
has repeatedly stated he has no in
tention of furthering labor peace. Yet
before his election Murray was re-
garded as one of the sincere ad
vocates of labor peace in the CIO.
What's happened to his principles?
Show us a single step taken by
Murray to purge the Reds from the
CIO? He has taken none. On the
contrary he recently appointed
whole flock Of known Communists to
the CIO standing committees. Yet
before his election to the CIO Presi-
dency, Murray was regarded as a foe
of Communism. What has happened
to his principles?
The answer, of course, is that Muir
ray is puppet President. ,aWmu
Now let's see about Sidney Hillman.
After the CIO convention numerous
stories were published to the effect
that Hillman had won a great victory
by the retirement of Lewis. We un-
derstand that Hillman thought so him
self.
But where is the victory?
SO far as we can see, Hillman has
lost any shred Of influence over the
ClO that he ever possessed. The
DoWCIS l1iiI Dt are lSllD1lIl iiiili 'ii-
tirely. In fact, they're doing every
thing possible to embarrass him pri-
vately and publicly in national defense
matters. They seem to take an un-
holy delight in giving him kick in
the pants at any and every oppor-
tunity.
Does that spell victory?
Where Is Hillman's Influence?
Leading the bunch in the ClO that
have been ganging up on Hillman are
none other than the Communist Fifth
Columnists. While Hillman, as asso-
ciate director of the Office Of Pro-
duction Management, is trying to sell
labor on the necessity Of pitching in
to help the national defense program,
at least two CIO international union
Presidents have been decrying Presi-
dent Roosevelt as "warmonger" and
smearing his defense policy as "war
policy"
In no single way that we can dis
cover has the wretched and disgust
ing style of the Red Fifth Column
lists in the ClO been cramped by either
Murray or Hillman. Far from it. The
Communists actually seem to have in
creased their power and expanded
their sphere Of influence. We find the
names Of ClO officials and employees
prominently listed on the letter-heads
Of every "appeasement" organization
in America. We find them giving ex-
preston to statements and policies
which are directly traceable to Mos
cow There is no question about it.
This is an extremely serious stu
alton. There is now considerable
pressure-and perhaps there will be
more as time passes-for destruction
Of labor's safeguards and for re-
striction of labor's rights. The Ameri-
can Federation Of Labor has made il
clear in its l94l Legislative program
that it will fight to the finish against
any such attempts in Congress. The
friends Of the American Federation OF
Labor in Congress know it is a pa.
triotic organization and that it sup,
ports whole-heartedly the national de-
fense program. But, the question
arises, how can the American Fedora