Evening star., 1952-07-23
Anti-Bark|ey Stand
Splits Labor Ranks,
Puts Lewis in Rage
By Don Whitehead
.eeiot.d Pres. stoH corr..pond.r


CHICAGO, July 23.-Union la
Dor ranks were ripped apart today
by angry and bitter discord over
the sudden dumping of Vice Presi-
dent Alben Barkley as a Demo-
cratic presidential candidate.
John L. Lewis-leader of the
United Mine Workers-was in a
towering rage against CIO and
AFL leaders whom he accused of
small time political intrigue" with
some Democratic presidential
hopefuls to chop down the Ken
tuckian, a long time friend of
labor.
But his anger was only part of
q story of backStage maneuvers,
political coalitions and divisions
which have been boiling beneath
the surface of the Democratic Ma
tional Convention.
And it was, in part at least, the
story of the struggle between
Democratic factions to name the
party nominee.
Boom May Be Revived.
There was some talk the Bark
ley boom might be revived. But
it may be just talk. Mr.. Barkley
will go to the convention hall
tonight for the first time and ad-
dress the delegates.
The lid was blown off last night
when Mr.. Lewis accused union
leaders Walter Reuther, George
Harrison and Jack Kroll of in
trlgue to torpedo Mr. Barkley on
the issue of age. Mr.. Barkley is
4-juSt two years older than Mr..
Lewis.
The self-anointed political
leaders OF labor who took it upon
themselves to attempt to dis
qualify him (Barkley) from the
presidency by reason of his age
obviously were engaged in a small
time political intrigue with other
candidates" Mr.. Lewis said.
Mr.. Reuther is the young chief
OF the United Automobile Workers
and vice president of the CIO.
Mr.. Harrison is a member of the
Executive Council of the AFL and
president of the Brotherhood of
Railway Clerks. Mr.. Kroll is di-
rector of the CLOS Political Ac-
ton Committee.
These three were among the
group of labor leaders who had
breakfast with Mr.. Barkley Mon
day. They informed him they
could not support him because of
his age. A few hours later, the
Vice President-deeply hurt and
angry-Withdrew from the race.
High Praise for BarkIey.
Mr.. Lewis statement in full:
"Vice President Barkley has al
ways been friend of organized la
Dor. He has led a distinguished
career, deserving of the eternal
gratitude of every man in America
who works for living, as well as
all other citizens.
"The self -anointed political
leaders of labor who took it upon
themselves to attempt to disquah-
fy him from the presidency by rea-
son of his age obviously were en-
gagged in Small-time political in
trigue with other candidates.
''Mr. George Harrison neglected
to say that Vice President Barkley
is a much younger man than Mr..
William Green, whom Mr.. Harri-
son supports for reelection for
president of the American Fedora
ton of Labor. I feel quite sure
that Mr.. William Green does not
share Mr. HarriSon's structures on
the qualifications of Vice President
Barkley.
"Mr. Walter Reuther, who was
accompanied by Mr.. Jack Kroll-
a much-affiliated gentleman-in
the visit to the Vice President
yesterday, is merely practicing
some of the techniques in which
he became proficient during his
sojourn in Soviet Russia.
THE rank and file of organized
labor throughout the United
States are grateful to Vice Presi-
dent Barkley for his lifetime rec
ord and for his espousal of the in
terest of the comman man, who
will repudiate the devious maneu-
Vers of Harrison and Reuther at
the polls on election day."
Truman Support Assumed.
This Lewis blast served to un-
cover these other reports:
l. That Mr.. Barkley came to
the convention with some reason
to believe that he was the ia
vorite of President Truman and
those around him.
2. That Mr.. Reuther, Mr.. Har-
rison, Mr.. Kroll and some other
union leaders were working
closely with Senator Estes Ke-
fauver of Tennessee and Averell
Hartman of New York in con-
Vention maneuvers.
3. That Mr.. Lewis had pledged
Mr.. Barkley his support prior to
the convention and assumed that
the Kentuckian would be accept
able to other labor leaders be-
cause of his long record in sup
port Of labor.
4. That a White House meeting
on Sunday, July Is, had left
Barkley boosters with the impress
sion the Vice President was more
acceptable to Mr.. Truman than
any of the other avowed candi-
dates (not including Gov. Steven
SOM.
S. That Mr.. Reuther and other
labor leaders met in Room 1106
at the Conrad Hilton Sunday night
with Senator Kefauver, Mr.. Harri-
man and Franklin D. Roosevelt,
jr-and that short time later
it was announced that labor had
turned thumbs down on Mr.
Barkley.
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