The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1948-07-15
Green Vents Progressive
Prourum From Democrats

,F1O0TQH L 70
Philadelphia (LPA)-Still smart
ing from the lack of consideration
shown the AFL's progressive legis-
lative program by the Republican
convention, President William
Green returned to Philadelphia last
week to place the AFL's demands
before the Democratic party.
Green's position was a strong
one. He appeared the day on which
dissident Democrats admitted that
they couldn't draft" Gen. Dwight
D. Eisenhower to replace President
Truman as the Democratic candi-
date. Altho Green has refused to
endorse Truman he conspicuously
refrained from identifying himself
or the AFL with the Dump Tru-
man" movement.
The program Green put forward
to the Democratic platform COM
mittee, presided over by Sen. Fran
els Meyers (Pa.), an opponent OF
the Taft Hartley act, was the same
one he failed to get attention from
the COP.
Repeal the Taft Hartley act
(which undermines trade unions
and prevents effective collective
bargaining, and does not promote
peaceful industrial relations" was
President Green's first recommen-
dation.
Citing the all-time high cost of
living, he then demanded "an eff
'fective and comprehensive pro-
gram to curb initiation" Green sug
gested that labor, business, farm
and government leaders sit down
together and work out a voluntary
system of price control. But, he in
sisted, the government must have
the power to see that decisions are
respected.
The AFL president reiterated its
support of the European recovery
program, and its endorsement of a
strengthened United Nations. He
said that the US must constantly
emphasize its desire for a just and
lasting peace, forswearing imper-
ialism, and not placing our reliance
upon the armed force and peace
time conscription.
Green stressed the AFL's inter-
est in federal aid to education, and
particularly its support of the la
Dor extension service bill.
"The availability of a decent
home to every family is the re-
sponsibility of the whole commu-
nity," Green pointed out and chided
the Congress which failed to recog-
nize this responsibility.
Other Congressional failures for
which Green presented the AFL's
were in the fields of So
cial security, medical care insur-
ance, and minimum wage legisla-
ton. The minimum wage should be
81 an hour, he said, and demanded
that future tax revisions be in the
of increasing the exemp-
tions for lower income groups, and
removing burdensome excise taxes.
In addition to medical care in
surance Green said that the federal
should provide the
funds for hospital construction and
the provision of training facilities
for young people desirous of en-
tering any branch of the medical
profession.
He asked that the appropriations
for the Labor Dept and other la
bor-serving agencies of the gov
ernment be restored to decent i
operative figure.
Green was joined by Bernice
Heffner, acting president of the .
Federation of Govern
nent Employees, in urging increas-
I'd base pay and other improve
nents for government workers. The
AFL chieftain added that govern
nent workers unions should play
4 greater role than has yet been
accorded them in determining fed
eral personnel policy. In those
agencies where wage rates are set
~ wage boards, rather than Con-
yress, Green recommended that the
lnions be given direct representa- !
ion on the wage boards.
Enactment of a permanent fair
employment practices statute is an
,ther matter to which the AFL at
aches great Importance, Green !.
aid.
4