Evening star., 1952-12-28
AFL Will Cooperate
With Republicans,
Meany Promises
RY the As,eeinfad Press

BY the Assoeiossd Press
The American Federation Of
Labor yesterday promised its
honest cooperation in the year
ahead to the new Republican ad-
ministration.
George Meany, the AFL's new
president, said in year-end state
ment:
I'VE intend to do our job not
as opponents Of the administration
but as good citizens determined
to cooperate with it insofar as
we are given the opportunity to
do so."
Walter Reuther, president Of the
CIO. has offered similar promises
of support to President-elect
Eisenhower but he adds an en-
phatic within limits"
Mr.. Reuther is now recovering
from an operation and has not
seen the press for several days.
But in a recent speech, the new
CIO president said: 1--WE pray
that (the Republicans) will un-
derstand something about the
rights and aspirations of free
labor"
Labor Neutrality Sought.
He said his pledge of CIO aid
to the new administration would
depend on its desire to "help build
industrial and economic stabil-
ity ;"
For the first time in 20 years
labor unions in general are at
least temporarily without the kind
of close White House ties which
paralleled the unions greatest
growth in history. But some Re-
publicans are hopeful that the
G. o. P.'s relationship to union
labor will develop to point where
by the next election the two big
labor federations will maintain
neutrality instead Of backing the
Democrats.
Gen. Eisenhower's appointment
of Martin P. Durkin, a lifetime
Democrat and head Of an AFL
union, to the top spot in the Labor
Department is taken as evidence
Of real effort to win the con-
f1dence Of union labor.
Full Agreement Doubtful.
In the House, Representative
Mcconnell. Republican, of Penn
sylvania, who will be chairman
of the House Labor Committee,
favorS new approach to basic
labor legislation. He is reported
to feel that one of the major
shortcomings of the Taft-Hartley
Act is it's name, which he sees as a
symbol of rallying cry for labor
unions against the Republican
Party.
But both Senator Taft, Republi-
can, of Ohio, slated to be Senate
majority leader, and Gen. Eisen-
hover himself are firmly on rec
ord against repeal of the contro-
versial law. Both say the law
needs amending. Last week Mr.. |
Meany publicly came to the same
conclusion. jettisoning the AFL's 4.
long demand for outright repeal. /
1t is doubtful, however, that there |
Is agreement between Senator 1
Taft and Mr.. Meany on what |
amendments are needed.
Mr.. Meany said in yesterdays \
statement that the AFL ''hopes
and expects to work with the new
administration in the furtherance
of constructive national and in
ternational policies. We have can
f1dence in the sincerity of Pres
ident-elect Eisenhower's pledge to |
be fair and just to the Nations
workers"
Labor Peace Outlook Good.
He took pains to disassociate the
AFL from any role of "loyal op-
position" to the Republican p
He said: ut should be rem~-, T
that the AF'L is not and never has
been part of any political parL,
We engaged in the last campaign
on a non-partisan basis. Now
there is other work to be DONE"
Government officials, looking
ahead into 1858, say that Gen.
Eisenhower will take Office in one
Of the smoothest periods of indus
trial relations in several years.
The Nations major industries
steel, coal. autos, shipbuilding,
aluminium. the electric industry
and otherS-are now operating
under labor contracts good into
the second half of 1853 at least.
This prospect is in marked con-
trast to the past year. which rolled
up the second greatest strike toll
in history, an estimated SIS mil
lion man-days of lost production.
But Mr.. Meany and Mr.. Reuther
will have their hands full, with in
ternal problems of their own or
ganizations, with the promised
conversations on the elusive ques-
tions of AFL-CIO unity, and on
Capitol Hill with new labor legis-
lation.