Evening star., 1949-02-06
'AFL Urges Congress
To Act ImmIediateIyo on
$3.50 U. 5. Pay Raises
By jones Y. Newton

xW4 fAN44, Cb IlC IA IL lO0dS
demanded immediate action by Con-
gress on bills boosting pay of Gov
ernment employees and, in an en-
tirely different field, extended the
hand of cooperation to the rival
CIO in establishing a new world
organization of free labor.
Citing figures showing that fed
eral pay is tagging far behind that
received by workers in private in
dustry, the AFL executive council
called on Congress through the Sem
ate bills boosting most government
workers pay fiat $3.50 year. One
bill pertains to most postal workers
and the other to employees outside
the postal service. Both were intro
duced in the Senate.
The council declared that living
costs have scared far beyond the
reach" of Government workers. ad-
ding that this unwholesome condi-
ton has persisted over long period
of years and it is the moral
obligation of Congress to correct the
injustice of this situation"
World Organization Urged.
An executive council statement
calling for the setting up Of world
labor organization to include both
the CIO and AFL was considered
highly significant in view of the
bitter words the federation has
hurled at the CIO in the past at
slightest provacation. Significant,
too. is the fact that no word of con-
demnation has been directed at the
rival group from this annual meet
ing of AFL policy makers.
The AFL hailed the action of the
CIO and British and Dutch unions
in Withdrawing the Communist
dominated" World Federation Of
Trade Unions They quit the WFTU
recently saying that it was being
used to further the cause of Soviet
Russia and its satellites.
British labor representatives are
coming to Washington next month
for talks with the AFL and CIO
looking toward creation of a new
international body. The AFL never
entered the WFTU because Of the
heavy representation Of Russia and
also, to an extent, of the CIO.
The reconstituting Of an inter-
national federation of trade unions
cannot and must not be the monop-
oily of any single National Labor
Federation or the handiwork of a
coalition or bloc of few organiza-
! tions," the AFL declared. In this
connection especially must there be
complete break with all methods
of big power politics which char
acterized the very conception, crea-
ton and functioning Of the WFTU.
Significance Seen.
"The AFL insists that preliminary
collective dicussions must be had
among the free trade union move
ments of the world regardless Of
their numerical strength or the
physical size of their respective
countries.
The young and developing labor
movements of Asia and other con-
tinents, the AFL continued, must
be included and be given fullest con-
sideration in the new international
labor movement. The trade union
movement of even the smallest ma
ton must be dealt with on a basis
of equality with that of the largest
and most powerful nation. This is
imperative in order to insure truly
collective democratic action and to
attain the fundamental agreement
indispensable to the establishment
of bona fide interaia tionaI fedora
ton of free labor unions"
Concluding its significant state
ment, the AFL said lin line with
the above and in this spirit of
true labor solidarity and devotion
to democracy. the AFL will gladly
cooperate and join with the free
trade unions Of all lands so as to
hasten the day of their uniflcation
into one world federation of labor
dedicated to the principles Of free
dom, social justice, and lasting
peace"
The indication that the AFL
would not attempt to throw the
weight of its greater numerical
strength around in setting up a
world federation with the CIO was
held as significant, too.
About IS officials of the AFL and
roepher IInionS we're guests of the
Navy today on two submarine
cruises. The modern-type subs
made a couple of dives and fired
practice torpedoes for the labor