Evening star., 1942-01-23
Roosevelt Plan
For Labor Peace
c. !. O. and A. F. |. to
Set Up Wortime
Cabinet Of Six
By JOHN C. HENRY.

Peace between the A. F. L. and
the C. I. o. moved nearer to real
ization today when it was
learned that both organizations
have accepted a White House
formula for composing their diff
.ferences during the war period.
The formula, simple in its struc-
ture, calls for creation of a joint
six-man committee, three from each
labor faction, to sit periodically with
President Roosevelt in the capacity
Of labor cabinet.
For the A. F. L., 1t Is believed that
the representatives will be President
William Green, Secretary Treasurer
George Meany and Vice President
Daniel j. Tobin.
Possible C. I. 0. Members.
The c. I. o. group is expected to
be headed by Philip Murray. AL
though identity of other C. I. o.
members has not been learned, 1t is
probable that Thomas j. Kennedy.
secretary of United Mine
Workers, and President R. j.
Thomas of the United Automobile
Workers, will be designated.
1t is believed certain that neither
John L. Lewis, president of the
U. M. W., nor william Hutcheson,
a vice president of the A. F. L.,
will be included in the group.
Arrival at this emergency formula
for establishing and maintaining
wartime tranquility in the ranks of
organized labor resulted from 48
hours of secretive White House con-
situations with officials of both or
ganizations.
Although neither President Roose-
welt nor White House spokesmen
would confirm such meetings, it is
know that Mr.. Murray visited the
Executive Mansion late Wednesday
and that Mr.. Green and Mr. Meany
were in conference with the Presi-
dent late yesterday.
Proposed by Lewis.
Impulse for these developments,
however, came from public pro-
posal on Saturday night by Mr..
Lewis to the effect that standing
committees of both factions should
resume their efforts to effect peace
merger. 1t was subsequently re-
ported that Mr.. Lewis had discussed
his plan with Mr.. Hutcheson, of
the rival A. F. L., and there was
marked GOODNESS in the reception
by both Mr.. Murray and Mr.. Green
to the Lewis suggestion.
1t is understood further that q
condition among the consultants for
acceptance of compromise formula
was that neither Mr.. Lewis nor Mr..
HutcheSon would be named to the
six-man committee.
Although autonomous unions Of
both organizations might still de-
part from any commitments made
by this six-man group, it is believed
that the weight of public sentiment
during the war period and the
prestige of the men selected for this
service will foreStall any important
violation of accords reached.
Main problem of such a commit
tee, it is expected, will be that Of
smoothing out inevitable jurisdic-
tional disputes among rival unions
In the same industries.
Would Have Broader Uses.
Actually, such committee prob
ably would have much broader uses
and once its effective operation was
established it could serve both the
President and labor as whole as an
advisory and liaison group in the
war effort.
1t is known that membership Of
this proposed group was held to six
to reduce the chances of disagree
rnents and to prevent public dis
closures as to its operations.
At a press conference today Mr..
Roosevelt declined to enter into any
discussion of the pending peace
efforts or even to confirm that he
had talked to officials of both labor
organizations. He had no news on
the matter, he said, and he would
not indulge in any guessing"
about it.
Later in the day he was to confer
with Chairman William H. Davis
of the new War Labor Board and a
discussion of interunion attitude in
the field was likely. 1t was UNDER
stood that a main purpose of Mr..
Davis visit, however, was to speed
the selection of alternates and spe-
cial mediators for work with the
board.
Lewis Invited to Council.
The Executive Committee of the
C. I. o. met in closed session in
New York, presumably to discuss
peace moves. The committee is
composed of c. I. o. vice presidents.
The c. I. o. Executive Council
comprising Sc representatives of all
C. I. o. unions-meets tomorrow
and Mr.. Murray advised Mr.. Lewis
last Monday that the latter's pro-
posal would be submitted to the
council. He also invited Mr.. Lewis
to attend and personally submit
his views