Evening star., 1948-05-13
SteeIworkers Decide
Today on Whether 10
File Taft Act 0aths
BY the As.oeiotsd Press

BOSTON, May 13. - The CIO
Steelworkers convention was sched-
uled today to take action on wheth-
er to continue the unions stand of
refusing to comply with the non-
Communist pledge in the Taft
Hartley Act.
The steelworkers and National
CfO President Philip Murray turned
the matter over to the convention
after telling the nearly 5000 oele-
gates that the Taft Hartley Act is
unconstitutional in its requirement
of Communist affidavits by
union officers.
The delegates of the CLOS big
gest 900 members-voted
yesterday to delay backing any
presidential candidate, to fight the
third party and to join the ma
tional CIO in trying to elect at least
100 congress members they favor.
A delay in indorsing any presi-
dental hopeful until after the
Democratic and Republican national
conventions was voted because "the
time is premature" One commit
tee reported locals have sent in
mo1e than 200 resolutions asking
draft Eisenhower"
The delegates, however, voted to
back the national CIO Political Ac-
ton Committee and raise nearly a
million dollars for the PAC.
The decision was made after the
PAC secretary and the SteelWorkers
secretary, David J. Mcdonald, told
them that the CIO is a potent
force in 100 congressional districts
We can elect "a Congressman and
We can help elect Sc others"
Vice President Van A. Bittner of
Atlanta blasted the third party as
Communist after two delegates.
Charles Fizer of Hammond, Ind, /
and Erwin Fleet of Philadelphia.
were booed for arguing that the
new party might help U.S." I
The convention condemned the
third party in a resolution declar-
ing that it has no basic support in
the ranks of organized labor de-
voted to American institutions"
julius B. Uehlein, a delegate from
Lorain, Ohio, moved to keep Com
mliniSts out of local union Offices
ana President Murray said the sug
eestion would be considered later.
Another delegate, John Sargent of
Chicago, declared himself as "a
supporter of Henry Wallace and
asked if that would make him out
of order if the union announces
its choice.
Mr. Murray replied that "the dele
cate knows we'll that union policy
did not deprive him of his con-
stitutional prerogative to vote for
any one he wants to-
Debate on the question was halted
when Delegate John Nash Of Pitts
burgh announced:
What's the discussion for? In
the polls III vote for the man I
please"
The convention reaffirmed the
SteelWorkers' opposition to compul-
Sorv peacetime CONSUMPTION, but
left future policies in the hands of
Mr.. Murray and the Executive /,
Board "in view of a possible further /,
wo:sening of international rela-
tons" Il
A number of resolutions ranging
from support of the United Nations
plan for partition of Palestine and
the European Recovery Program to
a demand for civil right legislation
we're given swift approval by the
convention.
The unions present negotiations
for a social insurance programme !,
Gently outlined by Mr.. Murray as a
seven-point plan which would cost
steel companies approximately %
cents an hour for each employe-
also was approved.
Mr.. Murray said United States
Steel has offered 2l2 cents an hour .
of social insurance if the union
the same amount
The SteelWorkers' president an
that the union had sent
meat strikers 100000 after Mime
apolis Mayor Hubert H. Humphrey
charged that the packers are try {
ing to starve out working people