Evening star., 1949-11-04
Clio Left-Wing Purge
Takes Cautious Turn
AS Session Nears End
By the Associated Press

ton of an executive board pro-
vided the big test today of the
new right-wing controls over the
CIO.
In sharp contrast to the predic-
tions of a week ago. there were
few delegates to the 11th CIO
convention who would say that
all leftist-controlled unions would
be purged by the time delegates
adjourned tonight.
Some Of the reasons for the
shift in opinion were rooted in
the sudden realization that Left
Wing unions like Harry Bridges
long -shoremen on the West Coast
and Ben Colds Fur and Leather
Workers would be hard to cast
out-or even to riddle in men,
bership raids.
At least four unions were Ger
tain to be tossed out if the Exc
cutive Board could be satisfied
that the membership loss was
worth risking before the conven-
ton adjourned.
Mergers Are Assured.
The unions are the Mine, Mill
and Smelter Workers, United
Public Workers, Office and Pro-
fessional Workers, and Food,
Tobacco and Agricultural Work
ers.
A widespread merger Of weak
unions with strong ones was al
most assured-whether they re-
main in the CIO or band together
in third labor federation devoted
to left-wing objectives.
Challenges from the convention
floor were anticipated in case the
fur workers nominated Mr.. Gold,
or If the longshoremen named Mr..
Bridges, as their selection to the
51-member executive board.
Mr.. Gold has made no bones
about his membership in the Com
munist Party. The convention
amended the CIO constitution to
bar all Communists from sitting
on the board--and also to author
ize the board to toss out unions
whose leaders believed in Commu-
nism or followed the party line.
Mr.. Bridges was accused fire.
lquently during the convention of
following Soviet policy.
The West Coast leader denied
that. He said he was not under
Moscow instructions when he ad-
vocated helping China and trad
ing with Russia. He said business
men didn't, look on both sides of
a dollar to find a Soviet hammer
and sickle insignia.
Joseph Curran, president Of the
National Maritime Union. advised
MIR. Bridges to keep his
nose out of our union" when the
San Francisco labor chief men
toned that the longshoremen
were the only ones observing
picket line thrown by the Marine
Engineers Beneficial Association.
Mr.. Bridges described that un-
ion right wing"
Mr.. Curran said Mr.. Bridges
didn't have "the CUTS to sup
port" a resolution barring CIO
participation In the World Fed
Grafton of Trade Unions.
Calls Argument Specious.
He said Mr.. Bridges argument
that the longshoremen needed
help from dock workers in other
countries during strikes meant
nothing because all the free un-
ions in that line were members
OF a new federation.
Mr.. Curran said Mr.. Bridges
would get little support behind the
Iron Curtain" If the Kremlin OBJ
jected.
The new World Labor Congress
WILL be formed in London next
month. Mr.. Bridges argued his
group should be in both. But the
C1O pulled out of the WFTU las.
spring. charging c I'm m unist-
domination. and helped to create
a new world movement in CO.
operation with the AFL and other
American trade unions.
The left-wing warfare which
started at this convention will ex-
tend for months to come, because
Organization Director Allan s.
Haywood and the top officers OF
C1O were pledged to wipe out the
left-wing opposition.
Legal Aspects Reported
Delaying Left-Wing Custer
NEW YORK. Nov. 4 (R.-The
New York Daily News, in a story
from Cleveland, says the CIO will
hold up its purge of leftist unions
until it can build a case that will
stand up in court.
The story, written by Jack T11r-