Evening star., 1946-07-16
State AFL Told
.1oFight Him,
Charges
Declares Orders
On Voting Given
Members by Green
BY the A:,ocioied Press


RICHMOND, Va, July 16.-Sena-
tor Byrd declared last night that
President William Green of the
American Federation of Labor had
directed Virginia AFL members to
vote against him, but added that he
knew when / denounced John
Lewis and Caesar Petrillo, powerful
AFL leaders, that they would de-
mand that William Green get in ac-
ton against me-"
In the fifth of his weekly radio
campaign addresses for the Demo-
cratic denomination In the August
primary Senator Byrd quoted a let
ter he said Mr.. Gren sent July 8
to the Virginia State Federation of
Labor, all Virginia central labor
unions, all Virginia Federal labor
unions and all Virginia local labor
unions.
Il think people of Virginia who
are not members of labor unions will
be interested in knowing that Mr..
William Green, president of the
American Federation of Labor, in
official orders to his unions, has di-
rected them to vote against me-"
Mr.. Byrd said.
Quotes Green's Orders"
He quoted the following as Mr..
Green's order:
Dear sirs and brothers:
I transmit herewith for your in
formation, consideration and action
the record of roll-call votes made
by Harry Flood Byrd on matters of
interest to labor covering the entire
period of time he has been a mem
Der OF the Senate of the United
States.
Senator Byrd's record is an ex-
ceptionally bad one and the workers
OF Virginia should bear this fact in
mind when they visit the polls to
vote.
With best wishes, l am
"Fraternally yours,
"tS) WILLIAM GREEN,
President, American Federation
Of Labor" :"
This is the third time that out
side labor leaders have injected
themselves into the pending sena-
torlal campaign in Virginia" SEN
ator Byrd said in commenting on
the letter. THE president of the
PAC-CIO. Mr.. Hillman, did it when
IN Atlantic City he made me the No.
l black-listed Senator. On January
81, high officials of the CIO from
outside the State came to Richmond
and said it was high time to throw
| Byrd out of Office"
The Senator said he would men
ton at this time only two of MIR.
Green's charges as to why he was
on labor's black list-his vote in 1893
against the Black 30-hour week bill
and his support of President Tru-
1 mans request legislation during the
/ recent rail strike.
/ He gives my vote on April 6. 1899
I against the bill introduced by SEN
/ ator Black, now Justice Black. for
So hour week as being unfavorabls
10 labor Senator Byrd said. "Mr.
Green is correct in saying that in
1888 l voted and worked against the
Black 30-hour week bill. A similar
bill, the McCarran 30-hour a week
DILL, Is now before the Civil Service
Committee, of which I am a member.
want Mr.. Green to know that nv
position today Is the same as in 1898
am unalterably opposed to a 30
hour work week established by Fed
eral law. It would be destructive of
our national economy"
Will Fight Legislation.
Senator Byrd said he had known
Tor some time that the next move
OF the great labor unions would be
to establish work week of five
days, six hours. with overtime if
longer hours were worked, and
added:
If reelected to the United States
Senate will be on the firing line to
oppose this legislation with all the
ability and influence I possess"
/ Senator Byrd referred to his
primary rival for his Senate seat,
Martin A. Hutchinson, at only one
point.
He said Mr.. Hutchinson, as is to
be expected of PAC-CIO support
ed candidate. has been very cau-
tlous and noncommunicative as to
what he would do were he in the
United States Senate. He said Mr..
Hutchinson had taken only one def
mite position and that was to con-
denim Gov. Tuck for his action in
drafting Virginia Electric & Power
Co. workers during the crisis of i'm
pending strike. Mr.. Hutchinson
also disagreed with a similar pro-
vision advocated by the President in
,, the rails issue, Senator Byrd said
and accordingly, had he been in the
Senate, he would have found him.
self joining with Republicans, in
defeating this proposal and by so
doing he would have opposed his
: Democratic President on vital is
sue"
Favors Reorganization.
Senator Byrd, chairman of two
committees and member of four
others, said he was strongly in favor
OF the legislation which would re-
duce the number of congressional
,, committees from 80 to Is, to abolish
special committees and prevent vot-
ing by proxy.
The prediction was made that
this bill would never pass because II
would deprive some members of the
Senate Of their committee chair
= manships," he said. II, for one, will
cheerfully surrender my two com
mittee chairmanships Rules and
Joint Economy to accomplish this
essential simplifcation of the pro-
cedure of our legislative branch"
, HyottsvilIe Odd Fellows