Evening star., 1948-01-18

bOllS -tliilC OUJCSt4fC "a eAAS VA
prevention of another war. In line
with American policy, the Fedora
ton feels that can be done only by
the preservation of democratic gov
ernments. which, in turn, cannot
survive without free trade unionism.
Selling Job for u. S. Labor
An immediate objective of the
AFL is to counteract Moscow-di-
rected propaganda against the
Marshall Plan and American foreign
policy in general. 1t is concentrat-
ing on convincing French and Brit
ish workers that our aims are not
imperialistic, but rather we are
moved by the belief that this coun-
try cannot be healthy and econom-
ically sound unless the world is
operating on an economically going
basis, too.
The plan is operating on the
theory that if European labor is
convinced that the American way
Of life is best for them and our aims
are just, the battle is won. This
selling job on the workers abroad,
it is held, cannot be done success
fully by either the Government or
management, for European work.
ers are suspicious of both. Only
American labor can do it.
AFL's European drive is directed
by the Free Trade Union Commit
tee, with headquarters in New York
City. Matthew Vol, member of
the AFL Executive Council, ac-
tually directs the work, although
President William Green and Sec
retary- Treasurer George Meany are
the titular heads of the committee.
Hopes to Help Prestige
The committee Is the outgrowth
Of the organization the AFL estab-
lished during the war to cooperate
with underground elements of Euro
pean trade unions in the battle
against the Nazis. However, the
Communists grabbed the ball at the
end Of the war, claiming credit for
most of the work done in attacking
the Germans from the inside.
Naturally. the AFL hopes that its
efforts in foreign fields will be re-
warded to the extent that it will be
regarded over the world as the DOM
inant voice of American labor. The
long time bitter rivalry with the
CIO at home serves as a spur to
efforts abroad. Toward the end Of
the war the CIO took the initiative
away, joining with the British and
others In the establishment of the
World Federation of Trade Unions.
Birth of the WITH was accom-
panied by the death of the old
International Federation of Trade
Unions, in which the AFL was the
sole representative of American Ia
Dor. The AFL refused to allow the
CIO to take part in the IFTU.
Before and after the formal set
ting up of the WFTU in 1914 and
1915, the AFL refused to have any
part in 1t. The organization in
cludes the Russians and peoples who
since have come to be known as
satellites OF the Soviet. Since Rus
sia has a lot of workers, members
of so-called trade unions, the So
viets naturally have had a large
voice in whatever WFTU has done.
AFL officials shouted long and
loud that Russian workers were. not
free, that their unions were part
Of government and that they would
have nothing to do with WFTU for
that reason.
Pull for Dissolution of WFTU
However, an equally compelling
reason for the boycott" at the time
three years ago-was the presence
on the ground floor of WFTU of the
CLIO. The British, on the other
hand, went along with the new or
ganization, breaking most of their
long standing ties with the AFL in
the process.
Now, relations with Russia being
what they are, the AFL says the Clio
Is stuck with the Russians. The
British are, too. Sooner or later,
AFL officials say, the Russians and
their satellites must be tossed out
Of WITH or the organization will
crack wide open.
What the AFL people are hopeful
Of, although they do not emphasize
it, is the dissolution of WFTU and
the formation of another world fed
Grafton in which they will play the
principal American role. Consider
able efforts are being made to woo
British labor and others with that
in view.
Through its Free Trade Union
Committee the AFL Is spending hun
dreds Of thousands of dollars
nearly all of it donated by its inter-
national unions and members.
Chief instrument of the committee
is the International Free Trade
Union News, a monthly printed In
New York in French. German and
English. The publication is circu-
lated rather widely In France and
Germany among union members
there. Some early difficulty was en-
countered with French postal chan
Inels in getting distribution. The
AFL claimed that Communists
among the postal workers were
junking the papers, but it seems to
have been Strengthened out.
Recovery Program Featured
Large parts of recent issues have
been given over to explanations OF
the Marshall Plan and our efforts
at more immediate aid to Europe.
Attacks on the WITH, Russia and
Communists in general are well