The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1950-06-15
New Union Council
Set Up At ParIey
In California

Long Beach, Calf. (LPA) - A
new California Industrial Union
Council was created here by con
stitutional convention June 3-5. The
council replaces the old one whose
charter was lifted by President
Philip Murray last February on the
grounds the group was Communist
dominated.
Manuel Dias, financial secretary
of Local 65 of the United Auto
Workers in Oakland, was elected
president by the 602 delegates rep
resenting 10000 members of Isl
locals. Dias has been a JAW mem
Der since 1886. John A. Despol, a
13-year veteran of the United
Steelworkers, was elected to the
full-time administrative post of
secretary-treasurer.
Also elected was 23-man ex-
ecutive board with the five largest
Observation-Disclosures, UAW, Oil
Workers, Rubber Workers and
Communications Workers - being
allocated two members apiece. The
International Long S h o remen &
Warehousemen's Union, only one
of whose locals was represented,
ands the Transport Workers, de-
clined to nominate anyone for the
board.
Keynote speaker was Allan S.
Haywood, vice president and direc-
tor of organization. He called on
the California CIO to adopt a
vigorous policy" by setting up "a
council that will serve your unions
and advance the interests of every
member of every color and creed"
In addition, he predicted working
unity" for the US labor movement
throughout the 1850 Congressional
campaign and declared that nego-
tiations toward a single, unified ma
tional labor federation would con-
tinue. Haywood denounced the old
Commie-line state council in with
ering terms, describing Harry
Bridges and two other officers of
the defunct group as political
scabs."
In his acceptance speech, Presi-
dent Dias said: "In my history |
cannot remember when / have not
dreamed of the day when there
would be real honest-to- God
Council in the state of California.
Never once have | lost faith that
one day we would have the kind of
council that could provide for all
the type of service and coordination
that will bring to all of the work
ing men and women of California
full measure of security, free
dom and the dignity that is the
d-given privilege of every human
being" Despol accepted his new
post as "a challenge and an oppor-
tunity."
In a series of resolutions, the
new council pledged full backing to
the fruit tramps" fighting for "a
union run from the bottom up, not
from the top down.; supported the
Oil Workers organizing drive
which is being opposed by the
ILWU and company unions; backed
the Furniture Workers in their
drive to oust anti elements; endors-
ed political program emphasizing
need for Taft-Hartley repeal; de-
manded FEPC legislation; opposed
the Mundt-Nixon bill and the re-
gents oath at the University of
California; created a working Civil
Rights Committee; called for rent
control and public housing; struck
hard at unemployment in Califor-
mia; condemned the State Depart
ment of Employment's anti-labor
operations; voted all out support to
the union label campaign of the
Amalgamated Clothing Workers.
Guest speakers included James
Roosevelt and Helen Gahagan
Douglas, who in the subsequent
primaries received the Democratic
nominations for Governor and Sem
ator, respectively.