The union times. (New Haven, Conn.) 1941-1948, 1943-10-23
Home Front War
Program Feature

BOSTON-LabOr's nO-strike
pledge, about production for
victory and firm support of
Pres. Roosevelt we're welded
into a home front war pro-
gram by the almost 900 dele
gates to the 63rd ALL. con-
ventiOn here.
Roosevelt's name was greeted
by applause lat every mention by
ALL. Pres. William Green and
by administration spokesman who
addressed the convention. There
was, however, no official indorse-
ment of Roosevelt. The one pro-
Roosevelt resolution was referred
to the executive council.
Delegates we're visibly impressed
by the peak strength reached by the
ALL. at the convention. Home
coming of the International Asso-
citation of Machinists raised total
membership to 6,564, al. Pros
pective return of the United Mine
Workers will bring it to over seven
million.
Prospect of an unprecedentedly
strong ALL. was one of the major
factors influencing delegates to ap-
prove a committee report paving
the way for early return OF the
miners. overshadowing their dis
like of UNIV. Dist. SO and the
coal strikes.
This position was ampl1tled IN the
debate on UNIV. Pres. John L.
Lewis, which brought to the surface
expressions both of antagon1sm ana
desire for unity with the Clio. The
CLIO. came in for severe tongue
lashings by Pres. Joseph P. Ryan OF
the International Longshoremen's AS
ISOLATION and Pres. Frank X. Martel
of the Detroit & Wayne County Fed
Grafton of Labor. Martel was re-
garded as spokesman for Pres. VII.
liam L. Mutcheson of the United
Brotherhood of Carpenters.
Lewis should be taken back, Martel
said. AT the same time, Lewis within
the ALL, would be powerful mag
net for "Sidney Hillman, Sherman
Dalrymple and a goodly portion of the
United Auto Workers." he said. The
U.A.W. group "in the General Motors
plant at Flint, Mich, would much
rather be following John Lewis than
they would the present leader" ne
declared.
Hopes for a split in the Clio.
were countered by Pres. Daniel J.
Tobin of the International Brother
hood of Teamsters, who told the
convention that return of the
UNIV. on an 'sas is'' basis would
mean the wholesale return of Clio.
unions on similar basis. Whether
he approved of this was not clear,
but his statement that the ''Only
hope'' for the future of labor is
qualification and unity was taken
as a strong plea for peace with the
Clio.
Despite the unmistakable confidence
in Roosevelt, criticism OF handll1lg ol
the war effort was sharp. Resentment
at administration failure to tame in
Aation turned up in strongly-worded
resolution scoring slow National War
Labor Board procedures and condemn
ing the inordinate power welded by
Director of Economic Sterilization
Fred Vinson.
Strongest stand taken by the con-
yention was its opposition to labor
draft as provided in the Austin
Wadsworth bill. LabOr's Outstand-
ing production job was proof
enough of the good results to come
from continued voluntary labor
management cooperation, delegates
felt. The convention also pledged
a stiff fight against general sales
tax, for repeal of the Smith-COn-
nalIy act and repeal of state anti
labor legislation. Affiliates were
urged to drop anti-Negro practices.
While the convention praised the
war effort of both China and the
Soviet Union, it again opposed CO.
operation with Russian unions and
repeal of the Chinese exclusion act.