Evening star., 1950-09-20
AFL Rules Out Merger
With clio This Year,
But Sees Unity Soon
By jones Y. Newton
Stor Sfoff CORRESPONDENT

officials of the American Fedora
ton of Labor today ruled out an!
possibility of merger with the CIC
this year, but they were unani.
nous in the opinion that labor
unity will be established in the
not too distant future.
The AFL convention here i:
unique because of the absence OF
any criticism of the rival organi-
zation. All is sweetness and light
now. AFL meetings of past years
were punctuated with bitter at
tacks on the CIO.
1--WE have been divorced toe
long to bring about merger this
year." remarked Dan w. Tracy
of Washington, an AFL vice presi-
dent. But we have more inter
estS in common now and feel
closer to the CIO than ever be-
fore"
Meeting Planned Next Month.
Mr.. Tracy was confident the two
organizations will get together. A
member of the AFL committee
which has been dickering with the
CIO, he said the next formal
meeting of the two groups will be
late next month.
The Federation and the CIO,
meanwhile, are working as one in
the political field for the first
time. They also have resolved TO
cooperate on a national legiSla-
tive program.
While the friendly feeling
toward the CIO is general among
the convention delegates, few if
any kind words are heard for
John L. Lewis, who took his Unit
ed Mine Workers out of the Fed
Grafton three years ago. AFL Of
ficials definitely do not want Mr.
Lewis to take part in the unity
talks with the CIO. They say
things are far more harmonious
without the belligerent miners
chieftain.
Tobin To Speak Today.
Secretary of Labor Tobin will
be the next administration official
on the firing line down here. He
will address the convention late
today.
w. Averell Hartman, assistant
to President Truman, pleased the
labor leaders with his bitter at
tack on Senator Taft, Republican,
of Ohio yesterday. He said that
Senator Taft, who is in the midst
of a hard fight for reelection,
was a type of man the country
could not afford to have in public
office in time of grave emergency.
Mr.. Hartman was roundly ap-
plauded when he said that the
Republican leader had given aid
and comfort to Russia by his op-
position to measures designed to
check spread of communism over
the world. Mention of Senator
Taft's name was greeted by
chorus OF booS.
Mccarthy, Jenner Attacked.
Mr.. Hartman departed from a
prepared speech to include two
other Republican Senators in his
castigation. They were Senator
Mccarthy of Wisconsin, State De-
partment critic, who addressed an
American Legion meeting here
Monday and Senator Jenner of
Indiana.
Mr.. Hartman said that Senator
Mccarthy sis playing right into
the hands of the Communists" by
his verbal assaults on Secretary
Of State Acheson and his depart
ment, and that the Senator "has
not the slightest conception" of
what we are fighting for in the
world.
He described as "most vicious
and outrageous" Senator Jenner's
recent reference to Gen. Marshall
as living lie."
In his attack on Senator Taft,
Mr.. Hartman said:
There are many candidates
whose record &. should be closely
examined. want to mention
only one-Senator Robert A. Taft.
Points to Taft's Record.
"I am naming him because he is
now using his wide influence to
attempt to block the recall to pub
lie service at this critical time of
a man who is universally respected
and trusted, not only in our own
country, but throughout the free
world-George C. Marshall.
Let us look at Taft's record.
Where did he stand on these two
1ssues2 AS for the Marshall Plan,
he fought on every occasion, US
ing all his influence in the Sen
ate. to slash the appropriations to
point where the program would
have been crippled-beginning
with interim aid in 1947, again in
1948, again in 1949, again in 1850.
He voted against the North At
lantic Treaty. He voted against
military aid to strengthen our mu-
tual defense. What is more, he
has shown no understanding of
the Importance of organized labor
in our affairs at home and in the
world.
when you look at his record,
you cannot escape the conclusion
that if the Congress had adopted
his positions, Communist objec-
tives would thereby have been
furthered.
Actions which further the de-
signs of the Kremlin cannot be