Evening star., 1942-10-05
Roosevelt Statement
Rebuked Union Critic
Green Declares
Roosevelt's Comment on
Tulks by U. S. Officials
Cited at AFL Convention
4y the Associated Press,


Cited at AFL Convention
4y the Associated Press.
IN TORONTO, Oct. 5.-Opening the
American Federation Of Labor's 62d
annual convention, President Will
: liam Green declared today that
President Roosevelt had rebuked
those in the United States Govern
ament who had said unions were un-
necessary and that we were losing
the war.
:. Mr.. Green sounded the conven-
ton keynote that United Nations
victory must be the controlling force
an every decision.
Az Referring to Mr.. Roosevelt's re-
marks on his return last week from
a Western tour, Mr.. Green asserted:
lIr1 interpret his statement as a
'rebuke to those who kept adver-
o1sing to Hitler and the world that
we were losing the war and that
trade unions were unnecessary"
-.s Speeches Of Two Cited.
Mr.. Green referred, without using
names, to Ralph A. Bard, Assis-
tant Secretary of the Navy, and Rear
Admiral Ben Moreel, chief of the
Navy's Bureau of Yards and Docks,
both of whom addressed depart
mental conventions Of the AFL last
week. Mr.. Bard's statement that
We were losing the war was made,
However, In a previous speech.
hs Admiral Moreel had said at a
-session of the AFL building trades
department that the people of the
Axis nations were living without
labor unions and "the people will
damn we'll get along without them
here If. we don't get in there and
pitch"
Mentioning specifically the state
ment that I'VE are losing the war;"
Mr. Green told the applauding dele
gates 1.-The President said that he
would never have made such state
ment."
= Says Workers to Smash Record.
Promising that American workers
would smash all production records,
Mr.. Green declared his confidence
In = United Nations victory and
served notice that at the peace table
labor must have very large repre-
sentation.
When the tyrants have been over
come, said the AFL chief, the demo-
cratic nations must get up an in
-ternational force, democratic and
,democratically controlled, to pre-
serve the peace throughout the
entire world.
Speaking of production, Mr.. Green
told a cheering, packed hall he had
assured President Roosevelt that "all
the standards he has set will be
,excelled by the workers of America"
600 Delegates at Meeting.
Nearly 600 delegates, representing
almost 5,500,0O0 organized workers in
the United States and Canada, at
tended the convention.
President Green forecast the con-
vention keynote in broadcast pre-
view when he declared: "Only such
undertakings as contribute to pro-
noting the war effort can command
our immediate support and atten-
ton"
His comment on President Roose-
velts executive order. designed to
combat imitation was that we will
Cooperate fully" He said he inter-
preted the wage controls as stabiliza-
tion rather than freezing" which
would preclude adjustment Of
inequities and substandartis.
The report of Secretary Treasurer
George Meany showed per capita
tax payments to the federation of
5.4S2,581 members, an increase of
nearly million since the last con-
vention. Mr. Meany reported in
come for the IL months of 81, ,3O9, ,1S1
and balance August 81 of
$l,267,171.
Teamsters Hold Most Votes.
The teamsters' union continued
to lead all other unions in con-
'vention voting strength. with 5,O56
votes out Of an aggregate of 53,029.
Voting strength was credited on
the basis Of per capita tax pay
sments. The carpenters were second
with 1867 votes, machinists third
with 3,285, hodcarriers and COM
mon laborers fourth with 1887, ho-
tel and restaurant employees fifth
with 2,420. international ladies gar
.ment workers sixth with 1880,
electrical workers seventh with
:2,o79.
The executive councils annual re-
port to the Federal ton accused the
United States National Labor Re-
,lations Board of biased decisions
favoring industrial unions as
against the unions organized along
craft lines which are affiliated with
the AFL. 1t also criticized the
ONCE Of Price Administration for
'indecision.
The council gave factual report,
but no opinion. on the work of the
WAR Labor Board. which deals
schiefy with disputes over the sub
sstance of bargaining agreements
sLabor, as such, is represented on
,the WLB.
i WAAC, WAVES