Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1946-02-01
Lewis Joins
AFL Agoin
Puts Miners Back
In Former Union

MIAMI FLA, Jan. 23-(LPA)
John L Lewis signed a check
for $4,000 last week and 100000
miners found themselves back in
the AFL which they deserted
almost 10 years ago.
In paying the United Mine
Workers January dues, Lewis
also took over the seat at the
AFL Executive Council table
vacated by Harvey w. Brown,
president of the International
Association of MachinistS, whose
100000 members dropped out of
the Federation in October, 1945.
Declaring that he had no fear
that Lewis would intrigue"
against him, AFL President Wis
liam Green said that II inter-
pret this step taken by the mine
workers as evidence of their de-
termination to wipe out of the
division of labor and to establish
unity. 1t might be interpreted
as move to place the house of
labor in order. 1t will have
profound effect upon the expan-
sion and development of un-
tied labor movent."
He added that "The story that
| was going to retire with the
return of Mr.. Lewis is false. I
am going to continue as presi-
dent of the AFL."
One DiscOrdant Note
The one discordant note in
Lewis Homecoming was the
vehement objection of the 35, 1000
members of the Progressive Mi
ners of America. President John
Marchiando declared that "The
act of the Executive Council
in my opinion Is a strict viola
ton of the AFL constitution"
The last AFL convention, he
asserted, ruled that an AFL af-
filiate must give its consent be-
fore another organization in the
same craft may be admitted.
THAT consent has never been
given-and never will be-by
the Progressive Miners of Amer
ica," said Marchiando.
Lewis Stormy Career
Lewis career has been one
of the stormiest in the history
of the u, S. labor movement.
In 1924 he ran against Samuel
Gompers for presidency of the
AFL and lost He was the guild
ing spirit in the founding of the
Committee for Industrial Or
ganization after the 1885 AFL
convention refused to approve a
report on industrial
unionisrn. The UNIV and the
other unions composing the
Committee were suspended from
the AFL in 1886 and expelled
in 1897.
Lewis famous meeting with |
Myron Taylor, chairman of the |
board of U. S. Steel in 1887 |
made possible the first union |
contract with the COLOSSUS of |
industry after bloody |
and violent struggle lasting a
generation. With Lewis at the
helm, the CIO broke through the
open shop fortresses of autos
rubber and electrical products
industries.
Broke With FDR
Starting as staunch sup
porter of President Roosevelt
after the 1882 election Che voted
for Hoover in 1892 the late
Presidents "a plague on both
your houses" during the little
steel strike of 1887 marked the
beginning of his break with the
New Deal.
In 1910, Lewis supported
Wendell Wilkie and staked his
leadership of the CIO on the
outcome of the election. When
lost, Lewis stepped
Down from the presidency of the
organization which he founded.
Although Philip Murray who
'eplaced him was reputed to be
Iewis' personal choice, relations
between the two men rapidly
rev worse. Lewis withdrew
rom the CIO after charging the f.,
after with refusal to repay its
inanciaI debt to the miners.
lewis subsequently became as
utter critic of the CIO as he L
lad been of the AFL.