Evening star., 1949-10-28
Bridges Will Leave
Clio Only if Booted
Out, He Declares
BY the Associofed Press

BY the Assoeiofed Press
CLEVELAND. Oct. 28.-Harry
Bridges, leader of $4,000 long
shoremen, declared today the only
way his union would leave the
CIO would be If we're booted
out"
The West Coast leader-who
takes pride in calling his union a
left-wing organization - admitted
he thought next weeks annual
convention would be rough as
all hell"
That is because right-wing
forces are determined to have a
showdown with the II or II unions
under left leaders. But Mr..
Bridges said committee of about
a dozen representatives of key
locals in the Longshoremen's
Union will meet with CIO Presi-
dent Philip Murray.
Murray Holds Answer.
Mr.. Murray holds the answer to
how tough the fight will become.
The fact that Mr.. Bridges was
seeking a private conference with
Mr.. Murray in advance of the con-
vention indicated the leftist forces
were anxious to head off that
showdown-or at least to pin the
blame on Mr.. Murray for what
happens next week.
Mr.. Murray also agreed yester-
day to meet delegation Of the
United Electrical Workers, big
gest of the left-wing groups, Sum-
day.
The UE group served a six-point
ultimatum on Mr.. Murray after
the UE convention here in Sep
tetnber. The union said it would
hold back its per capita payments
of 8 cents per month for approx
imately 375,000 members unless
Mr.. Murray met UE's terms.
UE leaders asked Mr.. Murray
to fire any critics and raiders
within the CIO officers and staff.
Murray Changes Mind.
Mr.. Murray at first was cool to
a request by UE for a meeting be-
fore the convention. He said the
issues involved in their dispute
were so deep the convention would
have to pass on them. But the
CIO chief changed his mind while
in New York yesterday and the
UE and Bridges meetings were
suddenly arranged.
Mr.. Bridges told a news confer
ence that his delegation wanted
to discuss two major points with
Mr.. Murray.
One was the 1ongshoremen's
continued participation in the
viet-dominated World Fedora
ton of Trade Unions, despite the
CLOS withdrawal last spring. The
other was what Mr.. Bridges terms
the autonomy" of his union,
meaning he wants to be able to
put to a referendum vote any
policy questions raised by the CIO
over which the longshoremen
might be ousted from the CIO.
Deviated Three Times.
Mr.. Bridges refused to go along
on three major CIO policy lines
in the last two years. Most i'm
portant was his refusal to support
President Truman for reelection.
He backed Henry A. Wallace in
stead. The others were support
Of the Marshall Plan and the At
lantic pact.
The West Coast leader said he
didn't think a union should have
to take orders from the CIO with
out a chance to vote on them and
either accept. reject or bypass
them"
Membership in the World Fed
Grafton Of Trade Unions was i'm
poTtant to the longshoremen, Mr..
Bridges told reporters. because
I'VE need the support of dock
workers around the world when
we 60 on strike"
He said that If Mr.. Murray
would guarantee that the new
World Labor Congress now being
established with both CIO and
AFL support could provide the
strike backing for his member
ship, that's all we would want
we wouldn't need the WFTU."
Ready To Make Concessions.
We're ready to make conces-
sions to stay in the CO." Mr..
Bridges said. But he added that
he thought the union would sur
vive if 1t was dumped from the
CIO.
1T won't wither and die if
Bridges isn't on the executive
board, either" he said.
What Mr.. Bridges and the UE
leadership. including President
Albert j. Fitzgerald, Secretary
Julius Emspak, and Organization
Director James j. Matles, agree on
with Mr.. Murray over the week
end. will show the way for other
left-wing unions.
A uyonoon 1r,bn lioJ raoo~&l,, = ! |