Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-13
Lewis Assai|s
AFL Officers
As'Cowards'
Blocks Anti-Red Vote
Depriving IN Million
Of NLRB's Services
By jones Y. Newton
Stor Stoff Correspondent

Lewis berated fellow top officers
of the AFL as ''weaklings" and
towards" yesterday in making
his successful one-man stand
against the Taft-Hartley labor
law which at least temporarily
deprives 100000 workers of the
services of the National Labor
relations Board, it was learned
here today.
What Mr.. Lewis actually did was
to block AFL Executive Council
action approving the filing of nom
Communist aff1davits with the NLRB.
But, it was the way he did it that
left President William Green, Secre-
tary- Treasurer George Meany and
IL federation vice presidents talk
ing to themselves.
After Mr.. Lewis won his council
fight for a boycott of the NLRB
under the Taft-Hartley Act, with
the lineup at least IA to 1 against
him, at first, Mr.. Green talked with
newsmen.
1.-THE council has decided" he said,
that the Taft-Hartley Act is repre-
hensible, vicious and destructive CT
workers civil and legal rights. 1t
could not conform to the Denham
ruling"
Puts Pressure on Denham.
Mr.. Green referred to the inter-
f1rnf tim nf tho h1r DNLar-f
Denham, NLRB general counsel,
who has ruled that all officers of the
AFL and CLIO, as well as officers
of international and local unions,
must file Communist affdavits
with the NLRB as required by the
new labor relations law if any AFL
or CLIO union is to be recognized
by the NLRB All Is members of
the Executive Council are officers
of the AFL and hence, under Mr..
Denham's ruling, must sign the
papers.
Whether Mr.. Lewis is a hero or
villain with labor was a moot ques-
ton among the AFL leaders here.
There was no doubt about the fact
that his action places heavy pressure
on Mr.. Denham to modify his ruling,
since the CLIO, too, has taken no
action to comply. Thus some 14,O0O,-
600 workers are in the position of
boycotting the NLRB, the admins
traitor and interpreter of the Taft
Hartley Act.
Mr.. Lewis used strong language in
arguing with his fellow AFL officers
in heated closed meeting yester-
day afternoon. Most of the other |
officers did not like what they
heard. Afterward they gave not too
complimentary opinions of Mr. Lewis
privately to reporters.
Gets Hutcheson Support.
He did get some support for his
position, however, from William L.
Hutcheson, president of, the strong
Carpenters Union. On the other
hand, Mr.. Hutchinson was reported
as already having signed the nom
Communist affidavit and all the
other AFL officers were willing to
do so.
The mine workers president told
the other officers that in advocating
compliance with the Denham ruling
you are taking your hats in your
hand and running before Govern
ment bureaucracy"
Another member of the council
arose in the closed session to take
issue with the Lewis position, which
was that to give into the Denham
ruling was tantamount to surrender
to the whole Taft-Hartley law.
"1t is unsafe to criticize the United
Mine Workers of America" Mr..
Lewis was quoted as booming while
shaking finger menacingly in the
face of his opponent. And it is I'M
safe to criticize the president of the
United Mine Workers of America. "
Let the Weak Fall"
Several council members pointed
out that Mr.. Lewis, by his stand, was
denying all los national and interna-
tlonal unions of the AFL of the Serv-
ices and protection of the Federal
law. They claimed that most of the
oA41OAio, CokCIAoAy Vic WcdhcI OI1eS,
needed recourse to the NLRB both
to protect themselves from unfair
practices of employers and to get
their names on ballots in collective
bargaining elections.
Let the weak fall" Mr.. Lewis was
quoted as shouting. do you think
you are going to successfully fight
this slave law without casualties? If
you do you are crazy"
David Dubinsky, president of the
International Ladies' Garment
Workers Union, said after the meet |
ing that the ILGWU Executive
Board had decided to sign the affi-
davis provided the AFL officers did
Now" Mr.. Dubinsky said, that
the AFL council decided not to sign,
we will not sign. Denham wanted
it that way; now let him have it
that way"
Mr.. Dubinsky also pointed out
that the Taft-Hartley law was
aimed at clipping the power of labor
leaders. He remarked that it seemed
that it had reverse effect in some
(See AFL, Page A-8D