The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1950-12-28

As the year drew to a close, the
legal situation. for labor was still
thoroughly snafued. There were
nearly 1000 cases pending before
the NLRB, and the supreme Court
had just agreed to hear arguments
and decide what is and what isn't a
secondary boycott under the law.
The Fall Elections
In February, the Republican
party unveiled its platform for the
1850 elections. Republican liberals
called it disappointing. Spring
elections, however, barred the
party's real platform and strategy.
Campaigns that defeated Florida
Senator Claude Pepper and North
Carolina Senator Frank Graham in
the Democratic primaries we're
based mainly on smears Of the
candidates as Communistic.
AFL and CIO worked together
far more closely than ever before
in the fall Congressional cam
paigns. On election day, voters
turned out at the polls in record
numbers for an off-year.
But the returns were very disap-
pointing. Robert A. Taft, Mr.. Re
publican himself, won in Ohio,
where labor had concentrated its
fire, by more than 425.000 votes.
The new count in the Senate gave
the Democrats 40 seats, the Repub-
licans AZ. The Republicans gained
25 seats in the House but the Dem
ocrats still had a slim majority.
The OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES coalition
was strengthened.
Liberal legislation has a very
slim chance in the 82nd Congress.
Inside The Unions
Samuel Gompers was honored
during 1850, the centennial year
Of his birth. The AFL conducted an
organizing drive in his memory.
BY May, they announced their
membership was up to 100000. A
special post office stamp was
issued in honor Of the union pio-
neer, and President Truman honor
ed him at the Gompers Centennial
Dinner.
During 1850, the CIO cleaned out
the last vestige Of Communism in
its ranks. The Public Workers,
Mine Mill & Smelter Workers, Food
Tobacco & Agricultural Workers,
Fur Workers, and three west coast
maritime unions were ousted. At
the end of the year, when the GUST
ed unions held a conference inl
Washington, only tattered remains
participated. CIO announced that it
had picked up about as many men,
bers as it had lost in the expul-
sions. Int'l Union of Electrical,
Radio & Machine Workers, charter
ed the year before, had passed the |
100000 mark.
On the international front, labor
nailed the success of the Int1 Con-
federation Of Free Trade Unions, |
founded in 1949. Truman said that
nothing is more vital to the cause
If free institutions everywhere
han this work of our labor unions
In other countries)." During 1851,
-CFTU plans to expand its forces
n the fight against Communists in
Asia, South America and Africa.
On April 4 President Philip Muir
'ay sent identical letters to leaders
If the AFL, United Mine Workers,
ntl Assn of Machinists, and rail
'oad unions proposing establish
nent of a united labor committed
TO coordinate the efforts in the
economic, legislative and political
pheres, and to seek to achieve the
'rganic unity of all American
abOr." The unions responded fav-
rably to the Murray suggestion.
1t the end of July representatives
f the AFL and CIO met in Wash
ngton and set up a committee look
ng toward merger of the two or
Meanwhile, they work
d together on political and legis-
ative work at every level. As this
-oes to press, members Of the Int'l
Ass'n of Machinists are voting on
ffiliation with the AFL. lam
resident Al Hayes urged a favor
bic vote, saying it would be "the
irst big move toward the unity
hat labor leaders preach" Il