Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1947-02-28
Labor Unity

There never has been tIIhe III 'h0
history of the labor movement In tns
country when there was greater need tor
political unity than at the present time
Proof of the serious state OF affairs Is
found in the correspondence between Clo
and AFL top leadership in which ClO
President Philip Murray's proposal, that
the two great major unions unite po-
liticalIy, was met by AFL President VIII
liam Green's counter proposal, that the
two unite themselves organically.
Why not do both?
But before unity can be achieved,
either on the political or organizatIonai
fronts, both unions must approach their
common problem with the will to sue
ceed and willingness to do what Presi-
dent Murray so clearly expressed-taKe
first things first.
What better test could be found of the
noSsibiIity of organic unity than in the
equally important question OF presenting
a united political front to the antl-lapof
reactionaries whose election and cOntlnu'
alton in political office rests largely upon
keeping labor divided?
Obviously. if the two great labor or
ganizatiOns could unite their forces 10
combat the common enemy which is seek
ing to handcuff and destroy all labor re-
gardless of its affiliatiOn, the next step,
that of organic unity, would be well pre-
pared and should be possible to attain.
On the contrary, the political unity
test, should il be undertaken and fail,
would be a certain sign that organic unity
was utterly out of the question, and that
like East and West, never the twain shall
meet"
Looking al the situation as ii exists to-
day between the CIO and AFL as obJec-
lively as possible, it appears that the pro-
posal of affecting organic unity before
political unity, is putting the cart before
the horse and wasting valuable time IN
intra.uniOn politics and policies which
could and should be used to better and
more urgent use in combating the COM
mon danger.
For the labor unions to sit down now
and attempt to debate ways and means OF
affecting organic unity, would be like
bunch of firemen holding a debate about
how to put out fire while great cOnfla-
grafton was raging.
This does not seem to be theN time To
discuss ways and means of affecting
union merger when the closed shop, the
Wagner Act union contracts and other
gains vital TO the unions are in grave dan
rendered completely useless.
IL the the AFL has a sincere desire to
really unite itself with its sister unions of
other Jurisdictions in the great fight
against restrictive anti.labOr legislation,
and we sincerely believe ii has such a de-
sire, there can be no other choice for II
save TO side-track its expressed wish for
organic unity and join in the more inn
portant battle of saving organized labor
as whole.
If labor can unite itself in the political
fight against those who are seeking TO
weaken and destroy il, and il must unite
or suffer the consequences of its disunity,
then, and only then, can there be any real
hope for wiping out the false lines of de-
Snarkation which now divide union from
union and worker from worker.
We regard the political unity proposal
made by President Philip Murray as the
best and most logical approach to eventual
unity of the labor movement. II we can
not succeed in uniting ourselves politically
against those who are opposed to us, per.
haps we shall have no need to worry
about unity after our failure.
Political unity is not proposal for
few men to kick around and accept or
reject according to their personal feelings.
1t is an urgent necessity upon which hangs
the future of the American labor move.
ment.