The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-05-27

ever thrown on the table in the last 10 or a dozen years.
 The obvious items of significance have already been pointed out:
 It is play to strengthen the hand of John L. Lewis.
 It is move to make the A. F. | or L. the dominant labor movement in the country.
 It offers an opportunity for the retirement of William Green as president of the American Fedora ton of Labor.
 An attempt has been made to build up case of political signifi- canoe from this move, by conclud- ing that Lewis, opposing Roosevelt might try to swing the A. F. of L. into the Republican lineup Some A. F. of L. labor leaders lean that way now, through their opposition to the Wagner act and the belief that the c. I. O. has been given more administration support. But Lewis tried to lead the c. I. O. into the G. O. P. camp in 1940 He failed, and it is doubtful if he would try to Moses a second flight of his children into an unknown promised land of politics
 OPPORTUNITY TO CLEAN HOUSE
 The real significance of the Lewis move back into the A. F. of L. is really tWofold:
 l. This marks the renewal of warfare between Lewis and the c. I. o.
 ?. It presents the opportunity to | clean house and get rid of the fringe of racketeering labor leaders who have cluttered up the A. F. of L. directorate for years. With regard to this second point, it has been generally forgotten that the tremendously strong Machinists' Union has signified it's desire to withdraw from the A. F. of L. and is now conducting a poll of its membership on this question The poll will be completed within the next few weeks. While the result is problematical, the underlying req son for the machinists' desire to withdraw has been dissatisfaction with the leadership in other A. F. of L. unions and the questionable policies which they have counte- nanced and encouraged. New blood l in the A. F. of L. executive commit 1 tee and a dominant leadership such as Lewis might contribute, could go far in strengthening the loose or ganization from which the United Mine Workers withdrew back in 1885, starting the original split in the U. s. labor movement.
 MANY LOYAL TO LEWIS
 Warfare between Lewis-with the A. F, of L. at his back-and the c. I. o. may become extremely bitter. Some few labor leaders will even go so far as to say that the reunion of Lewis with the A. F. of L. will mark the end of the c. I. O. That is doubtful.
 What is not generally known, how ever, is that within the c. I. O. leadership there is strong element which is still loyal to John L. Lewis, the man who founded their move ment and set them up in business. The older leaders in the U. A. w. have not forgotten that it was Lewis who won them their original big gains.
 Loyal c. I. O. leaders fear and hate Lewis, and denounce him bit terly. But if other of the original c. I. O. unions should decide to fol- low Lewis and the Mine Workers back into the A. F. of L., the c. I. O. might be seriously weakened. It might conceivably develop that the A. F. of L. would emerge with a membership of some ten million members, giving it dominance. That way also might lie eventual labor organic unity and peace. With a throne at the top reserved for ''peacemaker" John L. Lewis, of course.