The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-12-12
AFl-ClO Quarrel May
Hinder Ship Work
Due For Shock When
Casualties Are Tod
Heavy Drinkers Cut
Liquor Stocks
John Lewis Sits BY
Licking His Chops
BY RAY TUCKER


Relations board demonstrates
again-Washington's lack Of a
definite and workable program.
What makes this new example so
aggravating is that 1t affects the
construction Of sorely needed
cargo ships.
Months ago Sidney Hillman
gave the blessing of the White
House TO the West Coast setup
under which the American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor was named as
the controlling workingmen's OUT
fit in that area The Congress of
Industrial Organizations was ae-
eepted as the bargaining agency
along the Atlantic. Each group
was recognized as dominant in
the two regions and received
what amounted to a closed shop
under federal auspices. Mr..
Hillman was then serving as labor
adviser to wPB.
Philip Murray recently moved
to upset these arrangements in
the Pacific territory. He de-
manded an election in the Kaiser
shipyards and the Wagner act
administrators okayed his re-
quest.
Donald VI. Nelson, as well as
Maritime commissioners Land
and Vickery, protested. They
feared that such a quarrel at
this time would slow down out
put and undo peaceful settle
ments In munitions establish
ments. But NLRB Chairman
Mills retorted that he would re-
sign and describe publicly the
pressure to which he had been
subjected unless they laid off.
They did.
The CIO is determined to win
this controversy. It has even
hired a special press agent to
drum up votes for its side.
High army and navy officers
are secretly concerned regarding
administration delay in publish
ing the full list of casualties in
overseas operations on land, sea
and in the air. They fear that
the present strategy of silence
will boomerang.
The United States, they argue,
is bound to suffer severe losses
in forthcoming stages of the
struggle. Not so many as the
Russians, Chinese and Germans,
perhaps. but, barring military
miracles, they will mount into
the hundreds of thousands. Under
the present policy the public
mind has not been conditioned to
meet such tragic realities. The
majority of citizens seem to be-
lieve that we can win without
large-scale sacrifices. Naval and
military higherups dread the
shock an awakening may inflict.
Congressional mail bulges with
demands for more facts" The
folks back home write that they
prefer the harsh truth to- doubt
and uncertainties. Most letters
wind up with the assurance I'VE
can take It"
Christmas Of 1912 may provide
the last wassailing the United
States will enjoy until the end of
hostilitiies. The cup that cheers
is likely TO run low unless con-
sumption of hard liquor Is cur
tailed sharply by federal and
local authorities.
When this country entered the
war, we had more than five hum
dred million gallons of whiskey
on hand. Even with production
cut off by the emergency, that
amount seemed sufficient for at
least five years. But demand has
increased sensationally as a re-
suit of swollen purchasing power.
II totals two and three times the
pre-Pearl Hsrbor Withdrawals.
Should 1t continue at the present
volume, existing stocks will be
hquidated in three years at the
most.
Under a private compact dis
tillers have agreed to make pres
ent stores serve for the original
five-year period. They have placed
wholesalers and retailers on q
quota basis That will mean rigid
rauoning of sales TO customers.
In some sections imbibers viii be
restricted TO a pint a week under
an individual permit system.
John l. Lewis secretly hopes
that William Green and Philip
Murray viii kiss and make up. al
though the United Mine Workers
chieftain does not anticipate such
harmony. He knows them and
their problems too intimately TO
expect permanent peace between
the AFL and the CTO.
Far from making the two older
organizations more powerful and
better able to resist his inroads
On their membership. an alliance
win weaken them, in foxy Johns
opinion He believes they have 30
many points Of difference. juris-
dieuonal disputes and jealousies
among their leaders that they viii
fan 10 quarreling and become easy
prev for his smaller httt more