Evening star., 1947-10-05
Battle Lines Drawn
For Convention Fight
That May Split AFL
By Jones Y. Newton
Stor StoH Correspondent

AFL tonight was making final prepa
rations for what was generally ex-
pected to be a stormy national
convention with battle lines drawn
for a fight that could split the fed
Grafton wide apart.
The convention opens tomorrow
and will last nearly two weeks. As
the stage was being set for the big
meeting the man occupying the
spotlight position was John L. Lewis
head OF the United Mine Workers
What nearly every delegate wanted
to know was would Mr.. Lewis at
| tempt to take the convention by
storm in putting over his ideas fol
an all-out fight on the Taft Hartley
Labor Relations Law and a formal
program of political activity in the
1948 election campaigns.
The battle over the filing by AFI
officers of the Communist afr
davits was renewed today before the
Executive Council, composed OF
President William Green, Secretary
Treasurer George Meany and 13 vice
presidents of which MI. Lewis is one
Urged to File Affidavits.
AFL's building trades and meta,
trades departments passed resolu-
tions calling upon Executive Coun.
Gil members to sign and file the
afidavits. The council met with
leaders of the two departments fol
several hours today.
| Afterward Mr.. Green said that
nothing was settled and the council
will meet again tomorrow John
Frey, head of the metal trades. ano
Richard Gray, president of the
building trades, carried the fight
for the two departments, which be-
tween them comprise more than
half of the AFL'S 7,500, 900 members
Mr.. Lewis refused to say anything
after the meeting, jokingly brushing
aside reporters questions. However
Mr.. Lewis had a profound converse
ton with William L. Hutcheson
president of the powerful Carpen-
ters union. who has allied himself
with Mr.. Lewis In the battle OF
afhdavits.
Blocks ALF Action.
Mr.. Lewis has blocked action by
the AFL officers on the affidavit
matter He stood all alone when
the matter was first taken up by
the council iat recent meeting In
Chicago. Later he was joined by
Mr. Hutcheson.
The controversy was caused by
the ruling of Robert N. Denham
general counsel of the National La
Dor Relations Board, that officers OF
the AFL and CIO as we'll as officers
of individual unions must file aff1da
Wits disavowing communism If any
union was to receive recognition by
NLRB.
There have been numerous reports
that the NLRB itself soon will re-
verse the Interpretation of Mr.. Den
ham, probably in time to prevent a
bitter floor fight at the convention
here. Mr.. Green said he had infor-
nation that the NLRB members
would take the action. The ruling
presumably would be made on a
lease involving workers at Radio Sta
ton WARL in Arlington. A local
of the AFL Electrical Workers has
asked for an election to determine
it's rights to bargain for the WARL
employees. The NLRB regional di-
rector, under Mr.. Denham, tossed
out the case because while electrical
workers officials had filed the anti
Communist papers, officers of the
AFL had not. .5,,.. .....
|! . May Not End Dispute.
T However, it was uncertain whether
a reversal by the board of the Den
ham ruling would clear up the con-
troversy in the AFL. The NLRB
could reverse Mr.. Denham on an
election case. 1t could not reverse
him on an unfair labor practice case
In other words, II Mr.. Denham
wanted to be tough, he could still
refuse NLRB recognition to the AFL
on everything. except election petit
tions.
There is talk among delegates here
of tossing Mr.. Lewis and the mine
workers out of the AF'L if his battle
continues to deny all unions access
to NLRB. Mr.. Hutcheson, it is be-
lieved, would 60 down fighting with
Mr.. Lewis.
Daniel J. Tobin, head Of the
Teamsters Union, largest AFL affili-
ate, threatens to take his union out
of the federation If Mr.. Lewis wins