Evening star., 1946-08-27
Special Session
OF Congress
On 0PAUrged
Union Confederation
Coils on Trumun for
Action on Prices

NolIS on truman tor
Action on Prices
The Confederated Unions of Amer
lea today urged President Truman
TO call a special session of Congress
for the sole purpose" of enacting
adequate price-control laws.
Meeting in the Hotel Statler, the
organization, representing $500, 900
independent union members, cited
the failure" of the last Congress to
enact sufficient consumer price
control laws, which crippled the
once OF Price Administration and
resulted in a dangerous and infia-
tlonary rise in living costs"
The resolution declared that pres
ent earnings of organized and un-
organized workers alike are insuffi-
cient to cover recent price increases.
Urges Cost-of- f-Living Clause.
1t also demanded the "cost-of-
living" pay provisions be included
IN all future contracts between
labor and management, in the event
consumer prices are not rolled
back to June 80 levels.
Earlier in the morning session
Don Mahon. confidential president
announced formation of a Political
Education Committee, one of whose
purposes would be to Survey" the
voting records of Congressman on
general labor matters.
Findings, Mr.. Mahon said would
be reported to the confederation
membership, but it was emphasized
committee reports would not con-
stitute political action in the Clio
pattern"
Delegates to Visit U. S. Agencies,
The Political Education COMMITTEES
Will be comprised of the large Exec
utlve Board of the confederation.
representing each affiliated union,
The five national officers will serve
as the executive committee of the
group.
A complete program to be drafted
by the committee will be submitted
at the annual convention in Mil
Waukee on September 81, Mr.. Mahon
said.
Earlier the delegates had de-
manded representation in the Labor
Department and other Government
agencies administering labor poll
cies.
Wallace Urges Liberalism.
Secretary of Commerce Wallace
spoke briefly at late afternoon ses-
sion yesterday describing the South
as potentially the Nations greatest
reservoir of liberalism and predict
Ing that eventually the poll tax
would be put out of business there.
He urged the group to work for
liberal Congress and to fight racial
discrimination within unions.
/ hope you are preparing for the
most important congressional cleo
tions which this country has ever
had In time of peace" Mr.. Wallace
told the 200 delegates.
Mr.. Wallace declared the per-
centage of progressiveness in the
democrat party was much higher
than in the Republican party and
that only progressive spirit could
solve the many problems facing the
Nation.
hope you really mean business
m terms Of political action" he told
the delegates.
Committees Report Progress.
Committees appointed by the con-
terence called on Government off,
clals yesterday and reported this
progress:
The Cancellation Service said
It's new policy against Federallv
nnanced arbitration (at Sl0O a dav)
VIII be altered for small unions or
companies unable to foot the bill
we don't want to arbitrate a union
or company to DEATH said How
ard t. Colvin, associate director of
the service.
2. Paul M. Herzog, chairman of
she Labor Relations Board, promised
TO consider speeding up elections
aiter petitions are filed, but said
appropriation reductions have GRIN
pied NLRBs services.
3. w. Willard Wirtz, chairman of
the Wage Sterilization Board, re-
celved the Qua plea that the board
oe enlarged to grant them repre-
sentatlon. The two labor MEM
bers on the board are from the CIo
and the AFL.
: Delegates were scheduled tn calJ
on these and other Federal aeen-
cies again today.
Lobby Approach" Held Unvise.
Last night a dinner was held at
the Hotel Statler with representa-
tives of various Government agen-
cles dealing with labor present.
Harold Young, solicitor of the
commerce Department, urged the
independent union members to look
closely at the voting records of
members of Congress and take ac-
tion accordingly.
Mr.. Wirtz warned the proun not
TO approach Government agencies
with the attitude of lobby but TO
come with the attitude that one
department of the Government
working with another"
The problems of labor. manage
ment and Government all have a
common basis" he pointed out. IF
you can see this and work together,
they can be solved together"
The conference represents 1000, 900
workers through the affiliation of
their independent unions, accord
ing to spokesmen. During the
coming year, all of the estimated
0,ooO,000 Independent union workers
are expected to come within their
sphere OF influence, they said.
Film Iqnites.