Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1947-08-08
New York Negro
To Become AFL
Vice President

HlNhoukn SiCNAioH III COipFcN
man TO a vice presidency In the New
York State Federation Of Labor
for the first time in history seems
certain next year. u bitter Aght
over who the choice will be Is
already rocking local cOIored ALL
circles.
The behind-the-seenes story Of
the organizations recent annual
convention In Utica, N. Y, un-
earthed by SSPA. reveals y wefter
Of trafficking in labor politics and
race relations crusading which
never became public during the con-
vention.
Central figures in the controver-
sy are Thomas @. Young. secretary
Of Local s2B. Building Service
Workers Union. and Charles Col
Inns, vice president, Hotel and Club
Employees Union. two Of the col
ored delegates TO the convention.
Both are rated highly as possible
choices for the new post. Young.
who Is the only colored member on
the FederAtion's powerful LeRislR-
tive Committee, took the floor at
the convention TO oppose the word
ing Of the resolution which opens
the way for n eolored vice president.
The resolution. adopted and now
before the Executive Council for
almost certain favorable action,
provides for Increase Of the number
Of Federation vice presidents from
IS to II, with the specific condition
that the new vice president be col.
orsd. Collins was one Of the leaders
Of the fight for the measure.
Reports from the convention that
YounR's opposition TO the wording
Of the measure was based on the
point that II constituted an Rdmis-
sion Of past discrimination were
emphatically blasted by Young who
told NNPA he believed that single
parts Of his argument had been
picked out and circulated in an Of.
fort 10 discredit him.
Much more important In my
mind" he said, els that the resolu.
ton as II IL now worded, creates n
Negro vice president on suferanee.
Anybody who accepted the post
under such conditions would not be
a real vice president Of the Fedora
ton like all the others but more
or less Of q vice president Of the
Negroes'--a powerless hgurehead."
He would never accept . post on
such terms. he declared.
Collins, openly blasting the lilly
whitsness' Of the State Fedora.
ton. asserted that Its time we
had n Negro vice president" and
strongly backed the resolution a.
a means Of making this possible.
The election Of q colored vice
president has been an issue at each
convention for the past FIVE years.
All 10 incumbents have been In Of
fee for years, being reelected regu-
larly. and lack Of q vacancy con.
siStSntly checked the pro-NeRro
drive until this year when the reso-
luton TO create another such post
was devised.
The resolution. II was learned.
was successfully Unanswered
through the Resolutions Commit
tee but encountered YounR's oppo-
sition TO the wording whom brought
up for general consideration. After
IL was adopted. . number Of in
huentiGl white delegates endorsed
Young's stand on the wording, sew
eral ~ them expressing the opinion
that Communist elements had given
vigorous support 70 the measure
for their own rather than Esgrees
interest.
II was also learned that the ET-
ecutive Council, the top-policy.
making body Of the Federation
composed Of the president, all vice
prssidsnts and the secrstary.trsas-
urer, had Indicated II favored cleo
ton Of . eoIored vice president hut
preferred 20 have no hand In the
choice, and that selection q the
nominee would probably be left 70
q caucus Of the DOZEN OF 90 col
cred delegates amonR the 900 10
1000 Who attend the conventions.
A similar procedure was followed
In 1874 when Young was elected 20
the Legiplativ. COMMITTEES. 10 reso-
luton stipolstinR the inclusion II
. eolored person on that body was
adopted ct that time. however.
The vice presidency of the State
Tsdsr~tion II not . paid position
bat carries With II considerable
prestige and fnsBsnes In noldinR
A. ILL.,. - IL. .-....L.nAI.n