Evening star., 1946-08-16
AFL Leaders Charqe
u. ). Restrictions Cut
Materials for Housinq
BY Jones Y. Newton
Sior Sfoff Correspondent

CHICAGO, Aug. 16.-Restrictive
Government practices in the field
OF building materials and construc-
ton labor cost the Nation con-
siderable badly-needed housing.
AF'L officials charged here today
The Federation's Executive Coun-
Gil considered the housing problem
as officials Of various building trade
unions charged that Federal prac-
tlces had tended to restrict rather
than increase the production of
materials. Government tampering
with construction wages also was
described as deterrent to new
housing.
Harry c. Bates, president of the
brlcAayers' union, predicted wide
spread strikes in the construction
field if the Federal Wage Stabiliza-
ton Board carries through its an
nounced intention of cancelling
wage increases granted in the
period after June 80 when price
6llu HdSF AOilbl NN1S JILL
Fear Wage RoIIback.
Mr.. Bates said that employers over
the country voluntarily boosted
wage rates from 10 to 25 cents an
hour while controls were off and
that the Government was deter
mined to roll back pay to the June
80 level. He said that unrest al
ready had been created and that
union leaders were fearful they
will be unable to keep their men,
bership in line unless the decision
Is reversed.
The summer session of the AFL
Executive Council heard George L.
Googe, director Of their southern
drive, report that 100000 new men,
berS had been recruited in the
South since the campaign got under
way three months ago. President
William Green predicted that the
members in the South within a
year would be reached.
Mr.. Googe reported that more
than 200 formal NLRB elections had
been won in the South and that 800
new collective bargaining agree
ments had been entered into since
the drive was opened. He said that
in 80 per cent of the cases it had
been possible to convince manage
ment that the AFL represented a
Majority of workers without neceSSl-
tating an election.
indicating the scale OF the AFL's
efforts in the South, where it is
competing with a similar campaign
by the CIO. MIR. Green said that ACT
full-time organizers and many more
part-time and volunteer organizers
were being used.
Oppose New Conference.
At the same time, Mr.. Green said
that the AFL doubted the wisdom
of holding another labor-manage-
ment conference, as proposed to
President Truman by the CIO as a
means OF stabilizing the economy.
I'VE are OF the opinion" he said,
that such conference would not
be productive of good results in the
development of good labor-manage-
ment relations This opinion is
based on the experience through
which We passed when the last
labor management conference was
held last November).
President John L. Lewis OF the
United Mine Workers conferred at
length here yesterday with Admiral
Ben Morreeu, Federal coal mines
administrator. A Lewis spokesman
said that the question Of terminal /
ing Government possession of the
soft coal mines was discussed, but
no conclusions were reached. He
said the UNIV was ready to meet
negotiators for the operators at any
time.
Seven AFL maritime unions.
headed by the Seafarers' Interna-
tional Union. formally established a
Maritime Council for Joint Eco
nomic Action similar to the CLOS
Committee for Maritime Unity. The
new council was granted a charter
by the Executive Council.