Evening star., 1948-01-18

~
International Transport Workers
Federation in London, with which
the AFL Is affiliated; attacks on the
Greek antistrike law and the De
Gaulle movement, an q doubled page
spread entitled, Warning to World
Democracy: Exposing Cominform
Strategy for Chaos and Dictator
ship"
Then, there is an article about the
fight against forced labor. illus
trated with a photostatic copy Of q
forced labor edict purportedly issued
in Czechoslovakia. The back page
bears review of the French situa-
tion called France at the Cross
roads"
The New York Times, in a recent
story date-lined Marseille, stated
that about the only word French
workers thereabouts were receiving
on American aid, Marshall Plan,
ETC., was the propaganda put out
by the Communist Party. Because
of the Communist attacks, 1t said.
dislike and suspicion of the United
States grows daily -"
Red Secretary Complains
"The only important pro-American
expression of opinion in the key port
of Marseille recently" the Times
continued, was a. pamphlet, in
published by the American
Federation of Labor. 1t was all the
more effective because 1t came from
a labor group rather than from
official Government sources.
SO = While this publication con-
tanned statements that would not
be indorsed by Washington, it was
considered by labor moderates hers
as great aid in fighting the Com
munist movement in Marseille."
According to an AFL quote from
the Soviet labor organ Trud, Benoit
Frachon, Communist secretary Of
the French Labor Confederation re-
Gently complained in this way about
AFL activities in France:
I'm Paris, the AFL has organized
a savage antidemocratic and anti
Soviet propaganda with the support
of small group of French splitters.
The bulletin published by them Is
full of dirty insinuations against
French democracy, and also excels
In extreme anti-Soviet calumnies.
1t is not uninteresting to note IN
this connection that the bulletin OF
the AFL is being published in close
collaboration with representatives
of the American State Department
and thus constitutes peculiar col
lective organ Of the AFL and the
State Department"
In its overseas operations, the AFL
feels called upon to emphasize re-
peatedly that its messages are not
inspired by our Government and
that the Government has no control
over labor organizations here.
Satisfied With Campaign
Frank P. Fenton, who recently
took over the position of AFL In
ternational representative, said the
job of selling American free enter
prise ideas to French workers Ii
complicated by the unfortunate ex-
perience they have had over the
years with the political capitalism
of their own land. They are suspi-
cious of our capitalism and such
things as the Marshall Plan because
of their own experiences.
The work Is not without danger as
well. Irving Brown, the AFLs Eu-
ropean representative, received
warning that If he did not get out
of Paris under his own power he
would be carried out-in coffin.
Besides Mr.. Brown, who bears
most of the load overseas. the AL
also has representative in Europe.
He is Henry Rutz, German-born
former Federation organizer in Wis
consin.
Mr.. Fenton succeeded Robert ].
Watt, the lovable little Scotsman,
who made many friends for the AFL
both in this country and abroad.
Mr.. Watt died last year while re-
turning from a meeting of the In
ternational Labor Organization in
Geneva. For many years he had
been the representative Of American
workers in the ILO and Mr.. Fenton
succeeds him in that post, too. Mr..
Fenton has been the AFL's organi-
zation director. His shift to the
international position shows the
Importance the AFL attaches 10 the
job.
South America Not Sold
Mr.. Meany. the AFL secretary
treasurer, said that he and other
officials are we'll satisfied with the
progress of their campaign In Eu-
rope. There have been indications
that communism has been checked
among the French workers, at least
for the time being. and Mr.. Meany
feels the federation LIS due some OF
the credit.
AFL efforts to bring about a closer
understanding with workers in
countries of the Western Hsmi-
sphere eliminated In the formation
Wednesday OF the Inter-American
Labor Confederation. The new or
ganization was set up during con-
ference in Lima. Peru, In which
representatives Of the AFL and Is
Latin American nations took part.
That there Is still a big Job to
be done In selling the United States
in South America was clearly shown
when resolution attacking our
policies nearly got by the newborn
. organization. 1t condemned the
"imperialist manifestations Of the
United States economic policy" and
co1Iad fny. a A0ht q ooai,.e+ 49, ~.~z.