Evening star., 1945-11-07
BY JAMES Y. NEWTON.

The National Labor Manage
ment Conference is foredoomed
to failure unless labor can close
its ranks and bridge the cleavage
among it's leaders chat has
sessions the first two
days, officials warned today.
Some officials viewed the stormy
scenes of yesterday as mere prelimi-
nary jockeying for position, with top
labor leaders taking advantage of
the open conference sessions to put
on a show" Others looked on it
gravely as indicative of deep split
that will not be corrected easily.
The conference Executive Com
mittee, meanwhile, born of fiery ex-
changes between John L. Lewis, CIO
President Philip Murray and AFL
President William Green, scheduled
its first meeting for noon today.
Murray Faces New Setback.
This committee will decide what
subjects outside the fixed conference
agenda will be taken up. There were
indications that Mr.. Murray's in
sistence that wages be considered
by the meeting was headed for a
showdown at the first committee
session.
Shortly before the session got
underway, the CIO leader told news
msn he definitely would attempt to
have the wage issue discussed at
the session. Mr.. Murray explained
he does not want the conference to
declare for any particular percentage
at which wages should be increased,
but rather to recognize the princi-
pie that industry's profit position is
such that pay could be raised with
out increasing product prices.
The amount that groups OF work.
ers in each plant should get, Mr.
Murray continued, would be deter
mined in individual plant bar
gaining.
II believe 1t would solve most of
the unrest in the country If en-
ployers would meet with labor and
proceed forthwith to negotiate with
regard to wages" Mr. Murray said.
Will Raise Bias Question.
He added that at later meeting
of the Executive Committee he
would raise the question of racial
discrimination on employment
within industry. This was inter-
preted as meaning that Mr.. Murray
would ask the conference to declare
that there be no discrimination on
jobs against minority groups.
At the same time, Mr.. Green re-
stated his position that the con-
ference lacks authority to discuss
wages. He said delegates should
co--hne their efforts to the working
out of procedure for workers to
follow in bargaining individually
either on an industrial or plant basis
on wages or other issues.
Mr.. Murray, defeated yesterday
by an AFL-Lewis-railroad brother
hoods combine in his fight to keer
Mr.. Lewis and the brotherhoods of
the committee, seemed headed TO,
another defeat. Mr.. Green and Mr.
Lewis and management delegates
are opposed to raising the wage is
sue. A committee majority is neces-
sary to bring the matter before the
full conference.
National Pattern Urged.
Mr.. Murray contends that the fix
ing of procedures for handling dis
putes alone will not bring industrial
peace. He says wages and a decent
standard of living for workers" are
the root of most labor troubles and
that unless the conference sets q
national pattern its efforts are in
vain.
Mr.. Lewis won a place on the
Executive Committee, together with
T. C. Cashen, president of the Rail-
way Labor Executives Association
and delegate of the brotherhoods,
with the aid of Mr.. Green. They
overrode protests Of Mr.. Murray
who not only fought the mine leader
but held that Mr.. Cashen was Just
another AFL man and not repre-
sentative of the independent rail
unions. Mr.. Cashen's union, the
(See CONFERENCE Page A-21