Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-12-27
Indirect Help 10 Reds
Seen in Membership
OfCI0in World Group
Dubinsky Article Critieizes
Participation in Tointed
Trade Union Federation
Bv David Laurence

Trade Union fe0erotion
By David Laurence
Revelation by a congressional
committee that there were 20 CLIO
unions in 1914 In which Communists
were strongly entrenched" and
that in some of these Communists
are still In the saddle" today may
come as a surprise to the rank and
file Of workers in America who
sometimes pooh pooh such accusa-
lions as baseless. But the evidence
is accommodating that the Com
munists are active in taking over
unions which In the event of war
would be in a position Ito wreck
the whole United States fighting
power"
Some factories making important
parts for new weapons and other
military equipment are actually
controlled now by Communist un-
ions.
Fortunately, there are in the
American labor movement leaders
who do not pooh-pooh these
charges, though 1t is significant
that 1t took revelations by con-
gressional committees before the
CLIO executives acted to purge itself
of such organizations at the top
level as the Greater New York CLIO
Council. which is described by the
House Committee as 1.-The key unit
in the whole Communist program.
Preach Class Warfare.
The fact that workers are organ
lied into unions for legitimate pur.
poses makes 1t easier for Commu.
nists to infiltrate. The customary
tactics are to preach class warfare
and class consciousness. This Is
what deceives so many workers who
think that the Communists can be
watched and yet be helpful to them
in pressing for trade-union objec-
tives.
A most interesting comment or
the situation inside the American
labor movement has just appeared
in the current issue of the quarterly
magazine Foreign Affairs, published
by the Council of Foreign Relations
q group Of Americans of prominence
who have long been interested In
foreign-policy questions. The article
in question was written by David
DubinSky, head Of the Internationa,
Ladies Garment Workers Union anc
o vice president Of the AFL. He
writes:
Precisely because the Commu.
nists place the capture and contro
Of the trade unions as the first pre-.
requisite for foisting their dictator.
ship on any industrial country, it 1!
imperative for the democratic trade
unions Of all countries to pool theh
resources and join forces In the pro.
lection and promotion of their vel.
fare and liberties.
Whether the Communists cal
their world organization and cen.
trail bureau Profintern or WITH
whether they call it Comintern OF
Cominform, they never lessen the
activity of their armies of agents
propagandists, party members and
fellow-travelers.
Essential Character Remains.
whether a Communist Party IN
any country calls itself by that
name or some other name, whether
q front organization calls itself the
League Against War and Fascism'
one day or the American Peace
Mobilization the next, the essential
characteristic Of all these organiza-
tons as segments Of an interna-
tional movement for BolsheWk
world domination does not change.
THE lesson must be reiterated:
The attempt to work with Com
munists is futile folly. The lesson
applies to trade unions, to other
organizations and to individuals.
When working with Communists
for a good cause we hurt that cause,
because 1t Is sure to be used by
them as an instrument for achiev-
ing their own different aims.
This Is confirmed by Stain him.
self IN his Foundations Of Lenin-
ism when he says: "A revolutionist
(Communist) may sponsor reform
because he sees in 1t means for
linking up constitutional action
with unconstitutional action, be-
cause he feels he can make use of
It az q screen behind which he can
strengthen his clandestine work
CLIO Seen Aiding Reds.
collaboration by trade unions
and liberals with Communists
serves only to provide them with a
means Of deception and with pres
tige which they subsequently ex-
plot for party purposes.
This has been our experience in
the international Ladies Garment
Workers Union. AS head Of the Go
John L. Lewis had considerable and
costly experience Of this Sort Philip
Murray's experience as head Of CLIO
bears out this truth. The leaders of
the Amalgamated Clothing Workers
the late Sidney Hillman and his
.eo-workers - once. believed they
could. work with the Communists
in the American Labor Party.
But though they have remained
faithful to Mr.. Hillman, these trade
unionists have had to withdraw
from the American Labor Party on
the grounds that it is a Communist
Party, auxiliary. Henry Wallace in
the so-called Progressive Party is
today in the stage where Lewis and
Hillman once were. The question
arises: Must trade unionists and
liberals burn their fingers badly be-
fore learning this incontrovertible
lesson? Was 1t really necessary to
60 through this very expensive ex-
perience Of collaborating with the
Communists first in the CLIO and
then in the WFTU?"
Mr.. Dubinsky has been a leader
In the effort to persuade certain
CLIO leaders and the British Trade
Union Congress to abandon the
"World Federation of Trade Unions "
which Is being charged with Com
munist control or domination. Mr..
p.YhireL1, aIIe.