Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-09-15
|Choice for President
To Be Major Decision
|0f AFL Convention
by O Stuff Correspondent Of III. stor

BY Stuff Correspondent Of The ssor
NEW YORK, Sept. 15.-The
American Federation of Labor
opened its list annual convention
here today with the accent on
politics.
Both major presidential candi-
dates will address the $50 dele
gates before the convention ends,
probably September "a. Gen
Eisenhower is scheduled to make
his speech tomorrow at II am,
He will interrupt a long swing
through the Midwest for q flying
trip here.
Gov. Stevenson will address the
convention next Monday. It is
unprecedented for a labor meet
ing to get both major candidates
as speakers. It is an indication
Of the rising influence Of organ
lied labor In politics.
Last Endorsement i'm 1924.
Then, the AFL likely will give
its Endorsement to a presidential
candidate for the second time In
its long history. The convention
will decide September "a, the day
following the Stevenson speech.
whether to give its blessing to
either candidate, and If so, which
one it will be. The only other
time the AFL, as such, made such
an Endorsement was away back
in 1924. Then the federation
threw its support to the elder
Senator Robert La Follette'S Pro-
gressive Party candidacy.
Before making q decision on an
Endorsement, the AFL will weigh
not only what the two candidates
say here. It will weigh the Re-
publican and Democratic plat
forms, the records of the two can
didates and all of their remarks.
The debate may be long and
loud, but Gen. Eisenhower seems
to have the cards stacked against
him. A great majority Of the
AFL leaders are outspokenly on
the side Of Gov. Stevenson. And
the labor bigshots already have
said the Republican platform
holds little for labor, while that
of the Democrats embodies most
Of the national legislative pro-
gram Of the AFL.
Most Of the labor bigshots are
lifelong Democrats and they see
no need for a change at this time.
The AFL here also viii make up
its list of House. Senate and other
candidates for support. There also
will be a blacklist" made up of
the "foes" of labor. Here the con-
vention will accept the advice
of its political arm, Labor's League
for Political Education.
An interesting political side
light is that Senator Morse, Re-
publican. of Oregon. will address
the convention. An early rider of
the Eisenhower bandwagon, Sena-
tor Morse has announced he had
cooled toward the general and
would not campaign for him.
The official word here was that
Senator Morse was extended an
11th-hour invitation to speak after
he had turned away from Gen.
Eisenhower. But 1t was reported
on good authority the Senator de-
sired an opportunity to speak. His
address is being advertised here
as an answer to the Eisenhower
speech. He will talk Thursday or
Friday.
Controls to Be Discussed.
There will be other important
business before the convention.
The AFL's national legislative pro-
gram for the next year will be laid
out. There will be important deci-
sions on wage, price controls,
housing and other matters Of great
Importance to labor.
The AFL's membership was in
creased to 8,098, 900 members. the
Executive Council reported on the
eve of the meeting. That is by
far the largest membership on
record and about $50, 900 over O
year ago.