Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-09-16


and forget their contributions.
Maybe you heard the MIC
broadcast from London the other
day. II was 10 the effect that Sir
Walter Citrine. general secretary
OF the British Trades Union Coun-
Gil. had created a sensation when
he told the convention that his
trip with several other labor
leaders. 10 the United States had
been Cancelled. He then generally
criticized the labor advisors 10 the
British embassy. charging them
with responsibility for the with
held permission. The MIC man
then said lit is remembered" that
Sir Walter on his last visit 10 the
States conferred only with the
AL. leaving il TO the Go to get
in the side door" If il wanted.
Now. there you have a good
start on the road TO an interna-
tional jurisdictional dispute which
would be as great victory for
the Axis as anything l can think OF.
TWO YEARS ago was invited
20 a small. unofficial, informal
luncheon where q British labor
leader (unaffiliated) met some OF
the top Go and JAW executives.
We all knew then that the BTUC.
because il was affiliated with the
AFL. was ignoring the Go. and
some sincere people here who saw
the danger that Is now even closer,
wanted to bring everybody to-
gether before il developed. / don't
think there is any doubt that the
working men of America and thel
working men of Britain. and all,
or nearly all of their leaders want
10 work together with the same
singleness OF purpose as their
brothers in uniform.
The trouble Is that the BTUCI
has had. long before the Go was
organized, an affiliation with the
AFI. and apparently Sir Walter
does not want TO depart from II.
Whether he alone holds TO that
position or Is encouraged In II by
leaders In Washington, I don't
know.
II would be all the same 10 me
and the workers Of America and
Britain II that utilization was with
the CIO and the AFL was ignored.
This Ii no time for any labor
leader to play up to one group and
IGNORE another. II a general did
that. what would happen to the
Polish. Free French. Dutch and
Norwegian forces7 The people OF
all religions are united to save
religion. not one at the expense
of another.
MANY FAR-SIGHTED people
here in Detroit have been striving
90 get some British workers 10
cor" here and some Detroit work.
r-s 10 go 10 Britain. The matter
$50 '>~nn taken up with many men
~ hich quarters: all have agreed
II should be done. all have agreed
10 use their influence TO see that
& was done-but II never has been
done. And for two years. without
letup. these Detroiters have been
continuing their efforts,
Now. II Sir Walter can't come
here because he ignores the CIO,
maybe Detroit workers have not
been invited there or British
,'n~llers here just because Sir
'-',lter does not understand the
f---s ~ the case.
- Sir Walter wants 10 know
v''"' 'he labor advisors have told
- British embassy. can tell
t'-1. II is simply that no man
r-~~nsenting British labor should
ro-,a 10 this country and ieop-l
T~di7e Allied relationship by DELHI
e-ate'v ignoring any great group
cf workers. be they Go, AFL.
fhe railroad workers or what, and
that would appear 10 be pretty
sound advice from book one. chap
'ar one. lesson one. elementary
fin'omacy. or plain horse sense.
:, tie face OF the greatest crisis
fobor has met.
VT HAVE all seen Bill Green
e~I Phil Murray shaking hands
end heard them on the sarre pro-
rrar' pledge their organizations to
an about drive for victory And
~ there have been some letdowns.
there Is plenty OF evidence that
thew meant what they said. Now,
- seems 10 me. they had better
Get together and clarity the issue
30 Sir Walter Citrine and then
send a Joint delegation OF Ameri-
ran workers 70 Britain (some from
Detroit) and invite BTUC workers
10 come here.
For II this thing IL allowed 20
develop You'll see an international
iurisdictionsl squabble that will
have serious repercuSSions now
and more serious ones after the
war.
feel genuinely sorry for the.
Detroiters who have worked so
seriously and so unselfishly to-
avoid the very thing which Sir
Walter appears TO be bringing
about.
I hope their efforts have not