Evening star., 1944-01-16
Mine Workers Return
To AFL This Week
Believed Probable
Change Of Heart Toward
White House Seen us
An important Foctor
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
John L. Lewis United Mine
Workers may finally get back
into the American Federation OF
Labor this week.
Such development, Of major
labor significance and potential po-
litical Importance. is widely ex-
pected in labor circles here. The
UNIV has had an application for
reaffiliation on file since last May
and it is due for new consideration
at the winter meeting of the AFL
executive council, opening at Miami
tomorrow
One reason why favorable action
is expected by many labor men is
the dissatisfaction among railway
union executives over White House
handling of their wage case.
May Change Votes.
At least one railroad union head
is reported to have voted against
council acceptance of the UNIV ap-
phcation when it was first con-
sidered last August. A 6-6 tie then
sent it on the AFI convention in
Boston in October which, in turn,
authorized the Executive Council to
negotiate terms for reaffiliation. A
change in the railroads officials
position apparently would assure
favorable action by the AFL.
Involved are jurisdictional prob
lens arising from expansion of the
UNIV into chemical and other in
dustries, bringing it into conflict
with AFL unions in the same fields.
Mr.. Lewis, however, has contended
that these problems could be settled
under AFL machinery after reaf-
flliation.
Friends of the miners chieftain,
who is one of President Roosevelt's S
sharpest critics, have made no
secret of the fact that they believe
politics has played a part in what
they term the AFL's stalling over
the application.
Tobin Denies Rumors.
AAACh VAS"o Soo ouSll WlOC Sh
culation that Daniel Tobin, presi-
dent Of the AFL Teamsters and a
member of the AFL Council, brought
them into the open by denial of
political considerations, first in the
Teamsters' Magazine, then again
in speech at the Boston conven-
ton. Mr. Tobin has been a close
friend of Mr.. Roosevelt and headed
the labor division of the Democratic
National Committee in the 1910
campaign.
There has been complete change
in the atmosphere since the Boston
convention. At that time, Mr..
Lewis was engaged in a bitter row
with the administration over miners
wages. Many IN organized labor
were criticizing him for a course
they said was damaging all labor.
A tendency in labor circles now is
to look on him as one who won a
major victory over the administra-
ton.
Controversy Recalled.
The cordial relations between the
AFL and the White House also have
suffered in the interim. First there
was the anonymous statement from
a high f1gure-AFL President Will
liam Green later said it was Gen.
George c. Marshall-that strikes
and threats of strikes had delayed
victory over Germany Then came
Mr.. Roosevelt's request for national
service legislation, opposed by or
ganized labor.
What Mr.. Lewis return to the AFL
might mean in the national political
picture in an election year is prob
lematical. The AEh has hewed to
"a policy of indorsing friends with
out respect to political labels, but
no one expects that Mr.. Lewis, once
back in the AFL, would take a re-
firing part in framing its policjes