Evening star., 1944-11-20
Murray AssaiIs WLB
For 'Evading' Duties
As Clio Sessions Open
BY the Associated Press.


BY the Associated Press. 7s
CHICAGO. Nov. 20.-Philip
Murray opened the seventh an
nual CIO convention today with
scorching criticism of the War
Labor Board for what he said
was "evading its responsibility"
to war workers whose wages 1t
froZe.
Both in his annual report and in
his keynote speech formally start
Ing the week convention, Mr.. Muir
ray singled out the WLB for special
comment.
His report also urged the CIO to
continue the no-strike pledge for
the duration of the war, and sug-
geSted the Political Action Commit
Tee would be around for some time
TO come with the declaration that:
"The political problems of the
American people are not solved in
one election campaign"
Urges Smith Connally Act Repeal.
The foremost task of organized
labor in the next Congress, many of
whose members benefited from PAC
support, is to obtain repeal of the
Smith -Connally Act, Mr.. Murray
said. He termed it vicious legisla-
ton" which caused more strikes
than it prevented.
Turning on the War Labor Board,
which as he spoke was resuming
discussions in Washington on the
CLOS demands for a half-million
steel workers and the overall report
to President Roosevelt on wage pol
Icy, Mr.. Murray commented:
The only effective job that has
been done by the War Labor Board
during the past year is to freeze
wages. In that field, its operations
have been beyond reproach from any
employer"
Assailing what he called the
WLBS ''unrealistic approach" Mr.
Murray declared it is essential
from the standpoint of prosecuting
the war that there be either a COM
plete change in policies. approach
and attitude of the members of the
board or a change in personnel"
Mr.. Murray also criticized re-
cent decisions by Gerard D. Reilly
Of the National Labor Relations
Board. He said Mr.. Reilly was
responsible for the entire change
in the course of conduct in admin
icfra tive offif1Ioo o&
Mr.. Reilly's decisions, he asserted,
"are not based upon merit or past
precedents of the board, but rather
upon determined design to defeat
the efforts of CIO unions to obtain
the protection for their members to
which they are entitled" under the
act.
For the postwar period, Mr.. Muir
ray proposed raising personal ex-
emptions in individual income taxes
to aid lower-paid workers, but sug-
gested continuation of the present
tax rates on corporations and per-
sonal incomes above 5000 year.
He would make an exception of
corporations whose net incomes are
below 100000 a year. He would
lower their rates to give small in
corporated business greater incen-
tives for speedy reconyersion"
Praises Progressive ALL Leaders.
In a reference to the rival Ameri-
can Federation Of Labor, now hold
ing its convention in New Orleans,
Mr.. Murray said:
THE salutary cooperation which
has been developed in the political
campaign between the CIO and the
forward-looking and progressive
leaders of the AFL and the Railway
Labor Unions, and particularly with
the rank and file of these organiza-
tions, augurs well for future united
action in support of the fundamental
issues which will confront our Ma
ton"
He asserted the CLOS growth
(650,000 new members in the last
year, had strengthened democratic
institutions and contributed to ma
tional unity.
Mr.. Murray also told of prepara-
tions of the CIO to take part for the
first time in international labor
parleys. Mr.. Hillman, R. J. Thomas
of the United Auto Workers, and
Emil Rieve of the Textile Workers
will go to London next month to
consult with British and Russian
trade union representatives on plans
for a world trade conference in Feb
ruary.
Bishop Bernard J. She'll of the
Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
brought the convention to its feet
with demand for immediate and
equitable revision" of the Little Steel
wage formula.
'Labor's demand" he said, for
revision of the Little Steel formula
is both just and imperative 1t
must be revised = y as democratic
inDera tive "