The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1942-02-05
Focing The Facts
With PHILIP PEARL

WnaC new form OF SkuluuSSefy is
John L. Lewis up to now?
That is the question seething in
labor circles ever since the man direct
ly responsible for the split in the
American labor movement suddenly
popped up with mysterious peace bid
the other day.
Consider the amazing circumstances !!
It was Lewis who in 1895 founded the
CIO by duping group of dissident
labor leaders with chimerical promises.
1t was Lewis who then instituted open
warfare against the American Fedora
ton of Labor. 1t was Lewis who in
1887 vetoed peace plan agreed upon
by committees representing the AFL
and the CIO. 1t was Lewis who in 1880
broke up peace negotiations between
new committees appointed at Presi-
dent RoOsevelt's request. 1t was Lewis
during that same year who openly
declared that he would not be inter-
ested in peace until the CIO ATTAINED
a dominant position. And it was Lewis
who ever since has been the one OBJ
stacle and stumbling block to renewal
of peace negotiations.
1t is not surprising, therefore, that
when this unprincipled master of du-
plicity out of clear sky on Jan. II
addressed letters to the Presidents of
the AFL and CIO urging resumption
of peace negotiations, hidden motives
| vora immodiat tolv SuSppctQ6
Murray Denounces Lewis
SpeculatiOns of this sort did not
deter the American Federation of La
Dor from promptly accepting the offer
to resume negotiations We were ready
to take Lewis proposal at it's face
value. We were willing to believe that
his move was an honest response to
the call for peace made by the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor only week
after America was forced int Owar.
Then Philip Murray, CIO President
tossed bOmbshell into the proceed
ings He revealed that Lewis had acted
without consulting anyone in the C1O
He openly denounced the Lewis move
as another Pearl HarbOr." He curtly
informed Lewis that any steps to re-
sumo peace negotiations would have to
be initiated by the President of the
CIO.
Thus, it became apparent at the
outset that Lewis had attempted tC
double-c cross the leaders of his own or
ganizatiOn. Mr. Murray's bitterness
was so keen that he made the grave
mistake of publicly declaring that he
regarded labor peace as a secondary
consideration" to certain contract ne
gotiatiOns of CIO union then in pro
gress. We believe that Mr.. Murray
will regret that statement when ht
grows calmer
But the important point at this mo
ment is this-why should Mr.. Murray
react i'm this resentful way? We have
much more faith in Mr.. Murray's sin
cerity than in his predecessors W.
! have no reason to believe that he fear.
or breads labor peace. Why theI
should he turn on Lewis so savagelI
after Il lifetime of close and cOnfiden
tial association with him?
The Real Purpose
} There is one obvious and inescapabl,
answer to this question. Mr. Murra!
does not trust Lewis. He suspects hi
motives. He must believe that the rea
purpose of Lewis move was to capture
control of the entire labor movement.
Mr.. Murray's Judgment was, per
haps, influenced by the publication o
Il completely wild and woody story il
the New York Times on Jan. 10. Thi
wholly false story told of secret
: deal between Lewis and the AFL eX
ecutive council on Il labor peace plal
! involving a new slate of officers for :
reunited labor movement.
President william Green and mem
bers of the Executive Council prompt.
scOtched this ridiculous report. Ther'
has been no deal with Lewis by TIN
. American Federation of Labor, secre
} or otherwise. There has been no agree
} ment with him on any peace propose
or slate of officers. The American Fed