Evening star., 1952-12-03
Stevenson 10 Speak
Al Clio Rites Today
Memoria|izing Murray
By jones Y. Newton
Stor Staff Correspondent

ATLANTIC CITY, Dec. 3.-The
CIO today memorialized it's late
president, Philip Murray, while
continuing terrific behind-the-
scenes struggle for his job.
An address by Gov. Adlai E.
Stevenson, Democratic presiden-
tial candidate, was to be the
feature of the memorial services
this afternoon. Another conven-
ton speaker will be Jacob S.
Potofsky, CIO vice president and
head of the Amalgamated Cloth
ing Workers.
In the battle for the CIO pres
idency, Walter P. Reuther. red
haired president of the United
Automobile Workers. still had the
inside track and an apparently
conclusive lead.
Refuse to Give Up.
However, the forces of Allan s.
Haywood. Mr.. Reuther's rival.
refused to give up and promised
a fight to the finish. Mr.. Haywood
is CIO executive vice president.
Some of the Haywood sup
porters even claimed their man
was in the lead. The election of
Mr.. Murray's successor and other
officers will be held tomorrow.
There was the distinct possibil-
ity the issue of the presidency
would be settled before the sched-
uled time for the election. This
could be done only by withdrawal
of one of the candidates. And it
seemed certain Mr.. Reuther would
not step aside.
Many CIO officials wish to avoid.
If possible. a roll-call vote and
bitter floor fight. They say the
bitterness engendered in such
struggle might result in an irrep-
arabic split in their ranks. The
two giants of the battle are the
Auto Workers, all-out for Mr..
Reuther, and the United Steel
workers. who are equally deter
mined to head off Mr.. Reuther.
Mr.. Murray also was president of
the Steelworkers.
Rules Are Drafted.
Nevertheless. the CIO vice
presidents, in a closed meeting,
made the rules for a roll-call vote,
which would be the first ever held
by a CIO convention. 1t was de-
cided that in case of a roll-call
election. the 700 delegates shall
be permitted to vote as indi-
viduals, and will not be bound by
unit rules unless the individual
unions wish to be bound by it.
Mr.. Haywood's supporters claimed
this would work to their ad-
vantage.
The Haywood forces held q
rally last night. Pep talks were
made by Mr.. Haywood, David J.
Mcdonald, acting president Of the
Steelworkers; Joseph A. Beirne,
head of the communications
Workers, and Michael j. Quill,
president of the Transport Work
ers. Mr.. Quill heads a coalition
of % small unions committed to
Mr.. Haywood. All promised not
to give up the fight.
Favor Reopening Talks.
Meanwhile. the CIO leaders de-
cided tentatively to reopen merger
talks with the AFL. They drafted
a resolution to that effect to be
presented to the convention, pos
sibly today.
The resolution will call for "or-
ganic unity" with the larger AFL
and will authorize the new presi-
dent to appoint a committee to
conduct the talks.
George Meany, new president of
the AFL, has already urged re-
sumption of merger talks, which
were broken off in 1850. he says,
by the CIO. But Mr.. Meany said
the formal invitation to the talks
must come from the CIO.
Senator Morse of oregon urged
the CIO to merge with the AFL in
q convention address yesterday
He said that unity of all labor
would be best for labor and best
for the country"