Evening star., 1943-07-21
AFL Deal for Return
of Miners Reported
Mapped at Par|ey
Lewis Offered Free Hand
In Coal Areus if He Stops
Organizing Other Fields
By IN, Associat.d pr..,

Return OF the United Mine
Workers to the American Fed
Grafton OF Labor hinged today, it
was reported, on deal whereby
UNIV President John L. Lewis
would be given a rather free
hand in coal areas provided he
ceases organizing workers in
other fields.
Labor spokesmen, emerging from
the UMW-AFL conference on the
proposed merger yesterday, disclosed
this plan was in the wind:
l. Mr.. Lewis and his UNIV would
be given jurisdiction as virtually
the sole craft union for coal dig
gers. That would in effect, freeze
the charter and in time abolish the
Progressive Miners, the AFL's mine
union which is strong in Illinois,
Indiana and parts of Kentucky.
2. In exchange, Mr.. Lewis would
drop his so-called District So"
which was set up to organize all
kinds of workers, including farmers.
Mr.. Lewis took back to his 200
man Policy Committee today a re-
port on the conversations with three
AFL vice presidents.
Tobin Indicates Progress.
Daniel A. Tobin, AFL vice presi-
dent serving as chairman of the
committee considering the applica-
ton before its presentation to the
AFL Executive Council next month
in Chicago, indicated some progress
mad been made at yesterdays con-
ference, but just how much he would
not say.
The outlook for reaffiliation. he
told reporters, looks somewhat bet
ter"
Mr.. Lewis handed reporters
brief prepared statement on which
he declined to elaborate. He re-
ferred to the UNIV as "a going con-
Germ" which has proposd rejoining
the AFL lin the interest of unifying
the policies of organized labor"
The UNIV, the Lewis statement
said, accepts the American Fedora
ton of Labor as it now exists, and
expects the American Federation of
Labor to accept the United Mine
Workers of America as it now ex-
lists"
Asked by a reporter If Mr.. Lewis
reference to the AFL accepting the
UNIV as it now exists meant that
the former organization would con-
done the strike of coal miners in
violation of labor's no-strike pledge,
Mr.. Tobin said the UNIV was not a
part of the AFL when the Fedora
tior made its pledge and consequent
ly was not bound by the commit
ment.
Concerned With Wage Demands.
While the ticklish merger prob
lens command the attention of the
UNIV Policy Committee, it also was
concerned with the general coal sit
uation and the UMW's demand for
wage increases, largely in the form
of portal-to-portal pay. which the
War Labor Board has refused to ap-
prove.
The miners may take to the courts,
as suggested by the WLB, their
fight for pay for the time spent
travelling underground. There was
possibility, too, that the operators
might go into litigation on the issue.
Edward Burke, head of the South
ern Coal Producers Association,
disclosed his group was considering
"a friendly suit" to get judicial
determination of the question.
Meanwhile, Carl E. Newton, di-
rector Of Federal coal mining oper-
ations, warned that the Government
would tighten its control of mines
unless labor relations were ironed
out. In speech to the American
Mining Congress at Cincinnati, Mr..
Newton said he hoped the operators
and the UNIV soon would solve their
differences so that the workings
could be returned to their owners
without risking further walkouts.
/ Besides Mr.. Tobin, the AFL COM
mittee handling the UMW's appli-
cation includes Matthew Woll and
George Harrison, vice presidents.
Mr.. Lewis conferees were Thomas
Kennedy, secretary treasurer, of the
UNIV; John OLeary, vice presi-
dent; William Mitchell, Percy Tet-
low and Mart Brennan, district
presidents.