The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1949-12-08
London Conference To Mark End OF
DisiIIusioning Labor Experiment


meeting of delegates Of ia trade
union centers in IA countries to set
up a new international organization
of democratic labor, representa-
tives of infant organizations in
Asia and Africa mixed on equal
terms with experienced leaders OF
long-established unions in the
western world.
For the first time the American
Federation of Labor and the Con-
gress of Industrial Organizations
will work together in single or
ganization.
The London meeting marks the
end of an experiment which pro-
duced only disillusion and frustra-
tion. When the war against Fas-
cism ended, most of the trade
unions, which had previously be-
longed to the international Feder-
alton of Trade Unions, decided to
forget their prewar struggle
against Communist disruption, hop
| ing the Soviet Unions wartime al
lance with the democracies had
laid the foundation for sincere Co
operation. Accordingly, they joined
with trade unions from the Soviet
Union and her satellite countries to
form a new international organiza-
ton, the World Federation Of
Trade Unions.
Even at this time, however, the
lAFL refused to work with the
Communist trade unions and Sir
Walter Citrine, the retiring secre-
tary of the British Trades Union
Congress, warned that the expert
ment would fail unless the WFTU
concentrated on solving industrial
problems and avoided political ad-
ventures.
Warning Was Justified
The attitude, of the AFL and Git
rine's warning proved all too just
lied. First the Communists obtain
ed undue influence in WFTU by
! artifcially initiating the member
ship of their satellite trade unions
in some cases more than a hund-
red times over their prewar level.
Then they tried to use the WITH
as an instrument of Communist
propaganda to inflame hatred
against the western democracies.
They wrecked every attempt OF the
free trade unions to tackle con-
structive problems, and when the
countries of western Europe decld-
ed to cooperate within the Euro
pean Recovery Program, the Com
munists prevented WFTU from
discussing the trade union aspects
of this problem, forcing the demo
cratic trade unions to call a sep
arate meeting for this purpose.
But the failure of the WFTU ex-
pertinent made the free trade
unions only more determined to
cooperate in an organization OF
their own. They held preparatory
conference in Geneva last June in
which about 43,00O,000 workers
were directly represented. The
Geneva Conference set up a spall
committee to prepare draft con-
stitution and program for the new
trade union international.
The 12-day meeting in London
will work on the committees pro-
posals and bring the new interna-
tional body formally into being.
The draft proposals were pub
lished few weeks ago. They fol-
low the broad lines of policy which
emerged at Geneva. For example,
the international Trade Secretar-
iats will be brought into the closest
possible consultation and collabor-
alton and special attention will be
paid to the development of trade
unionism in the more under-de-
veloped parts of the world. The
new body will also seek association
with other international organiza-
tions which in any way cover It's
field Of activity. Above all, stress
will be laid on positive and con-
structive work. All members are
determined that the new body shall
not become a pawn in big-power
politics or passive instrument for
anti-Communist propaganda.