Evening star., 1946-09-12
U. S. Believes Russia
Promotes Labor Strife
Communists in Key Posts Held
Factor in Strikes
By Dapid Laarence

BY DaCfd LdacreHce
A widespread impression is develop
ing in America that Russia has already
declared war on the American economic
system and, through her agents here, is
promoting labor strife and industrial
chaos.
The mayor of the largest city in the
United States announces to the coun-
try that the Communist party Is lead
ing the strike" of truck drivers in New
York and vicinity--a strike that is caus-
ing untold losses to the people of that
metropolis.
Coincidentally. this week the New
York Times announced through Louis
Stark, its principal correspondent on
labor matters and widely known for i'm
partiality. that Communists who have
infiltrated into three major unions arr
forcing test of strength.
Within three weeks wrote Nj
Stark, ''at conventions beginning to-
morrow with that of the United Electrical
and Radio Workers and continuing
with those of the mine mill and smelter
workers and the coke and chemical
workers, the entire struggle threatens
to break out with renewed vehemence.
Ever Continuing Contest.
1T is an ever-continuing contest be-
tween elements who have, by clever mi
nority tactics, outmaneuvered their op-
ponents and succeeded in capturing
powerful union organizations for what
ever may be the diurnal policy of for
eign government, the Soviet Union, and
those who are certain that such a de-
velopment is fraught with the most
awful consequences for democracy.
Trade unions are today such highly
strategic organizations that the nation
al lifeblood ebbs and flows according to
their policies.
The Associated Press reported from
Milwaukee that resolutions had been in
troduced at the electrical workers con-
vention some favoring Russia and some
opposed. A proposal was offered to pre-
vent Communists from holding office
in the union
The New York Times reported from
Milwaukee that, "in a clear-cut contest
over the issue of Communism" the left
wing element in the Electrical Workers
Union won a smashing victory The
vote was 1889 to 673, after four hours
of bitter debate. Action came a little
while after CLIO President Philip Muir
ray asserted that the CIO would not be
bothered much or long, by the "ideo-
logical mumblings" of those set on de-
stroying it. He pooh-poohed the talk
of theological conflict, and declared that
the CIO is American through and
through.
Carey Defeat Significant.
James B. Carey, who for many year
has served the CIO as secretary anci
who was formerly a president of the
Electrical Workers Union, led the fight
against totalitarianism and Commu-
nism, but he was defeated.
The electrical workers adopted a reso-
luton reafirming the right of mem
bers of all political parties to join the
union" Inasmuch as the Communists
take advantage of the machinery OF
American politics and the operations
VI tIC wdShCt ATT anu, tilOuSIl IlOt Oll
the ballot in various States, claim the
status of political party, this mean
that nothing would be done to keeI
Communists out of the Electrical Work
ers' Union or to bar them from holdin
key offices. --ts-
There are other unions in which The
Communists play an important par,
They are influential, for example, in the
Auto Workers Union ano in some Of the
unions engaged in Shipping-all OF
which have inflicted costly strikes on
the United States.
The American people now are OBJ
serving unions with substantial minori-
ties which openly favor the cause of
Russia as against the United States,
Congress at its last session passed leg
islation forbidding the Government to
pay any wages or salaries to any Fed
eral workers who belong to organiza-
tions that insist on the right to strike,
The Federal Workers Union, which
started the controversy, was accused at
the time of being influenced by Com
munist leaders in that organization.
Congress may be urged at the next
session to prohibit the benefits of the
Wagner Labor Relations Act from be-
ing extended to the members of any
union, inside or outside the Govern
ment, which permits Communists to
hold Office or even perhaps to enroll in
it's membership. The people of the
United States are not going to allow
the infiltration of agents who wish to
sabotage the American economic sys-
tenn in the interest of any foreign gov
ernments policies or ideology.
Before 1941, the Nazis operated
through the Bund and other organiza-
tions, not only in this country, but in
other countries in North and South
America. The Communists are doing
the same thing by infiltration in the
labor movements both of the United
States and of other countries in this
hemisphere.