Evening star., 1947-10-06
AFL-
Continued From First Page. }

number OF top AFL leaders are
angry with the miners leader and
do not believe they can live with
him.
Mr.. Hutcheson's differences are of
jurisdictional nature, too, center
ing around the long-standing Hol-
lywood movie studio craft union dis
pute. Mr.. Hutcheson has blocked
settlement of the dispute, which is
between the AFL stage hands union
and a number of AFL craft unions
including the carpenters.
Convention to Recess.
The whole convention will be re-
cessed tomorrow while the Execu-
tive Council devotes the entire day
to an attempt to settle the Holly
wood affair. A high official pre-
dicted the council will take firm
action in an effort to end the dis
pute and that Mr. Hutcheson would
be slapped down for his stand in
the matter.
If that happens, it is considered
likely that Mr.. Hutcheson will take
his union out of the AFL. Mr.
Lewis, is said on good authority,
will support Mr.. Hutcheson's stand
and take a walk" too.
Mr.. Hutcheson takes the position
that his union has jurisdiction in
the AFL over work on everything
made of wood and on all substi-
tutes for wood. The stand has
brought the carpenters into almost
continuous conflict with AFL metal
Trades unions. 1t led to the de-
parture from the AFL two years
ago of the powerful international
Association of Machinists.
Resent Hutcheson's Actions.
There are powerful interests in
the AFL who resent what they con-
slider Mr.. Hutchesons encroachment
in their jurisdiction and who also
would like to see the machinists
back in the fold. The carpenters
boss has refused to accept top AFL
suggestions for settling both The
Hollywood dispute and controversy
with the machinists. Things seem
to be headed for q showdown here
The apparently well-placed reports
that the National Labor Relations
Board will reverse within a few days
the ruling of its General Counsel
Robert N. Denham on the non Com
munist affidavit matter, If true, will
take some of the heat from the Bit
ter battle between Mr.. Lewis and the
rest of the AFL.
Mr.. Denham ruled that in his
opinion the part of the Taft Hartley
Act designed to bar Communists
from union office meant that officers
of the AFL and CIO, as well as OF
individual unions, must submit affi-
davits annually that they are not
Communists, If any affiliated unions
are to have access to the NLRB and
the union protective features of Fed
eral law.
But a reversal Of Mr.. Denham in
the test" case involving the petition
of electrical workers at radio sta
ton WARL, Arlington, Va, for q
NLRB bargaining election, will not
remove Mr.. Lewis as the storm CEN
ter of the AFL convention. There
are too many other differences OF
opinion too much general bitterness
to be tossed of that lightly.
Mutual Assistance Pact.
There is well-founded talk here
that Mr.. Lewis and Mr.. Hutche-
son have a mutual assistance pact
providing that If either loses his
battle in the federation they will
split away from the AFL and set
up a third major labor movement
In that event, Mr.. Hutcheson
would assume jurisdiction over the
entire building and construction
trades field, establishing an indus
trial organization for that large
industry.
The Executive Council, composed
of President William Green, Secre-
tary-Treasurer George Meany and
the 13 vice presidents, met for three
hours yesterday on the controversial
Denham ruling. Mr.. Green an
nounced later the matter was not
settled. He said that because of
the "rumor" the NLRB would rule
in the matter today the council
had postponed action until Thurs
day. The council had been looked
on to make some recommendation
to the council
Earlier, the United Mine Workers
top officials met with Mr.. Lewis
They announced the union presi-
dent had the full support Of union
Executive Board members, Policy
Committee members and conven-
ton delegates for his stand in re-
fusing to sign the non-Communist
affidavit. Mr.. Lewis blocked AFI
council action In the matter.