Evening star., 1943-10-05
AFL Gets Proposal
To Subject Unions
Books 10 Scrutiny
BY the Associated Press

wv AO2N, WV. llT DlOllIti
hood of Teamsters today submitted
to the American Federation of Labor
convention a constitutional amend
ment which would expose the finan-
cial records of affiliated unions to
the scrutiny of the Federation's top
officials.
Meanwhile, President Roosevelt
sent his fluctuations to the conven-
tion for accomplishment of a
splendid task" by American wage
earnerS and called upon them for
an even greater effort until the
peace is won.
The President also asked the Fed
eration's continued help in stabiliz-
ing the domestic economy and told
the delegates we anticipate a good
deal OF success in the rollback of
prices which will stabilize and re-
duce the cost of living in essentials. >
The Presidents message was let
ter to President William Green, eX-
pressing regret that he could not
attend the convention. Please. -
said Mr.. Roosevelt. assure those in
attendance and all of the constitu-
ent membership of my qualification
at the splendid task that has been
done by American wage earners in
turning out the munitions and i'm
plements Of war.
Labor Record Praised.
Secretary of Labor Perkins, ad-
dressing the convention, praised or
ganlzed labor's war record in general
but added that in wartime no strike
is justified.
She said the no-strike. no-lock-
out pledge had been kept SO per
cent and that the ratio Of man days
lost through strikes since Pearl
Harbor had been only sixteen one
hundredths of l per cent Of the
number worked.
That" she added. is high
record in any field OF human rela
tionS Such strikes and lockoutS as
We have had have been few and of
short duration because responsible
leadership has promptly ordered
those on wildcat stoppages back to
work
However. let me make this per-
fectlv plain. When men are fighting
and suffering and dying that We may
have peace and Well-being. and when
there exists. as at present, fair and
proper machinery for settlement of
disputes. no strike is justified
Would Alter AFL Setup.
The teamsters' financial proposal
would alter the fundamental nature
of the AFL. which is a loose consid-
Grafton Of autonomous unions. These
unions adopt their own constitutions
f1X their own dues and manage their
own affairs in every respect without
interference from the AFL. They pay
only relatively small TAX per mem
Der 20 the AFL as a token of affili-
alton.
The teamsterS. the largest numer-
iCallv and one OF the most inf1u-
ential in the Federation. is headed
by Daniel J. Tobin He and other
teamsters' delegates sponsored the
resolution proposing that The preSi-
cent or SecretarN-treasurer of the
AL shall be empowered to look
INTO the books of national and in
ternatlonal unions affilia ted with the
AFL for the purpose of determin-
ing whether or not they are COM
plying with the constitution rela
tive TO their per capita tax and
the number of members in good
standing within each respective or
ganization.
Stepup In Membership.
An official explanation of MI
Ioblns purpose was not immedi-
ately available, Some delegates
thought the resolution might be
prompted by the apparent burst in
membership shown by the Carpen-
terS Union, headed by William l..
Hutcheson. The carpenters paid a
per capita tax to the AFL in 1912
from 366. 700 members In 1913 this
was stepped up 10 exactly 500 600
MI lobln union paid on sos 600
members last year and barely re-
tanned its long held laurels as the
biggest AFL union this year by paw
ing tax on 602 900 members.
The AFL maintains no check on
the actual membership of its af-
hllated unions. 1t is common knoyl-
eoge that some unions paid Oh fewer
ana some on more members than
they actually have in good standing
although the degree of this practice
Is not known
Mr, Hutcheson, Republican. is
sponsoring the application OF John
l.. Lewis for reaf1iation of the
united Mine Workers in the AFT,
MI. Iobln is a New Dealer. though
strongly denying allegations that
politics has played any part in the
CONSIDERATION of Mr.. Lewis appn-
cation.
n 0lS: Al