Evening star., 1949-10-04
Tobin, at AFL Farley,
Urges Labor Unity 10
Beat Taft-Hart|ey Act
ey the Assoeiotsd Press

81. PAUL, MIMI, OCT. e.
Secretary of Labor Tobin today
called on organized labor to re-
place discord and cross-purposes
with "the solidarity of co-opera.
ton" to secure such objectives a.
repeal of the Taft Hartley Act.
"It has already been proved
that when an international crisi.
is being faced, or when the labor
movement is being threatened
within a State or in Washington
AFL and CIO can work together
effectively and harmoniously,
Secretary Tobin said in a speech
prepared for the national Ameri-
can Federation Of Labor conven-
ton.
II am pleading merely for a
logical projection of the spirit
behind such activities" the cabi-
net officer said, pointing out that
he had no program of unifica-
ton" or ANY scheme for making
labor one and indivisible.
Political Co operation Urged.
He urged cooperation on the
political level "if We are to get
rid of Taft-Hartley" and realize
other parts of President Truman's
fair deal"
Last November" Secretary To-
bin said, workers and farmers
pulled together, not because there
was any alliance, but because both
groups had come to realize that
the only real hope for fair deal
was the election of President Tru-
man. We must keep alive and
strengthen that community Of in
terest which manifested itself last
year."
Sunday the AFL Executive
Committee rejected political CO.
operation with the CIO on a ma
tional scale. but left the way open
for Joint action locally.
Yesterday. Senator Humphrey,
Democrat, of Minnesota scored
the Taft-Hartley Act, declaring
There will be no labor-manage-
ment peace until this grossly un-
fair, antilabor legislation is re-
moved - and the economic
relationship between labor and
management are settled around
the conference table"
In another call for unity. Sena-
tor Humphrey said ut is the re-
sponsibility of the labor movement
and of every liberal and demo-
cratic organization to forget per-
sonal pride and petty differences
and to unite behind candidates
and around a program between
now and the pay dirt year OF
1880"
Malone Hits Tariff Pacts.
Senator Malone, Republican. Of
Nevada, yesterday spoke out
against reciprocal trade treaties,
saying When we import cheap
competitive goods we import un-
employment. .
IF our program to help the
world involves weakening Ameri-
ca and destroying the STANDARD
of living of the American worker.
that program is bad for the en-
tire world because without
q strong America the. world is
headed straight for the dogs" he
said.
Yesterday the AFL leadership
rejected the Governments cur
rent no-pay-boost formula and
counseled workers against any
letup in seeking wage increases.
William Green, AFL president,
said in a keynote address opening
the convention that the AFL will
constantly" strive for higher
wages.
Hits at Steel Board Report.
Mr.. Green hit out at President
Truman's steel fact finding boards
recommendations against any
wage increases at this time for
American workers. That board
called for employer-paid welfare
programs instead, saying wage
changes could upset the national
economy.
The AFL leader said wages can
be boosted without raising prices
and. amid loud applause. declared:
I'VE don't accept the principle
of Government boards setting our
wages anywhere.
Mr.. Green said the AFL never
has waived our right to demand
wage increases for the workers Of
America-and we are not going
to do it,"
Must Share in Earnings.
Labor" he shouted, must
share in the earnings of these cor
porations and we must share
equitably. We're not going to give
up the right to demand an equita-
BILE share of these earnings"
Mr.. Green said the conventions S
most important business will be
planning a political drive for next
years congressional elections even
more potent than the AFL's 1948
push in behalf OF President Tru-
man.
Saying the Taft-Hartley Act
must be repealed Mr.. Green de-
clared I'VE have to 60 into the
1850 campaign united as never be-
fore" to elect "our fffends and de-
feat our enemies" and thus secure
the laws repeal.
The AFL's political war chest
was fattened with a decision Of
William Hutcheson. president of
the big AFL Carpenters Union. to
contribute S1nn nm tnu,crd the