Evening star., 1953-11-28
The Political Min
The Political Mil
Moral Re-urmument
Withstunds Red Attack
Moves to Get U. S. Labor to
Condemn Organization Fail
By Gould Lincoln

By Gould Lincoln
Communists and fellow travellers
have sought for long time to discredit
and undermine Moral Re-Armament-
that organization founded by Frank
Buchanan which, has been active in
America. in Europe and in Asia in the
interest OF better relations among ma
lions, between labor and management
and particularly between individuals.
First they tried to tie it up with Hitler
and NaziiSm. Since that lie was exposed,
they have spread reports that MIRA is
basically inimical to union labor-an-
other lie. Here and there these reports
have been taken seriously-though only
by very very few.
Recently, at the CLOS national con-
vention in Cleveland an effort was
made by individuals who apparently
put credence in the Communist-inspned
charges to have resolution critical of
MIRA adopted and defeat for reelection
as executive vice president of the CIO
John V. Rife. Mr.. Rife was target
because he is an ardent supporter of
MIRA. The critics of MIRA failed. Reso-
lutions attacking MIRA were turned in
resolutions committee and were stifled
in both. Mr. Rife was reelected with
out opposition when the time came for
voting. A resolution was adopted stat
ing, in effect, that whenever an officer
joins an organization which has not
been formally Endorsed by the CIO, he
will be obligated to say that he joined
from personal choice and the act was
not tied to his official duties. No men,
tion was made of the MIRA, and it is
clear that it applies to other organiza-
tions. This is the Interpretation placed
on it by officials of the CIO.
Student of MIRA.
Mr.. Rife, who is widely known and
respected in organized labor circles and
in others, became a deep student of
MRA-which is the very antithesis Of
communism A foe of communism and
opponent of all it stands for, Mr.. Rifle
embraced the tenets of MRA-"abso-
Lutte honesty. absolute purity and abb
solute love-" AS an individual, Mr..
Rifle adopted the principles of MIRA.
They are principles which have worked
effectively for better relations between
labor and management in this country
and abroad. as we'll as between indi-
v1duals. MIRA is, in fact, way of life
which can successfully be brought into
all human relations. So, Mr.. Rifle be-
came target of the Communists,
along with MIRA and all it stands for.
One OF the most recent moves by
Communists and their friends to CEN
sure MIRA was report alleged to have
been adopted by the International
Confederation of Free Trade Unions
QCFTUD. The report was circulated
IN the Information Bulletin of the
ICF'TU under date of September Is
last, issued from the Brussels Office of
the organization. The report was
highly critical of MIRA. MIRA investi-
gated and discovered this report was
presented to the executive board for
discussion at the third world congress
OF 1CFTU in Stockholm in July, 1853.
1t was not put forward, they found, to
the congress floor for discussion by the
delegates. No resolution about MIRA
was on the agenda Of the congress, no
vote was asked for or taken. No con-
gress policy was decided upon. Indeed.
no official ICFTU decision was made
about MIRA.
OhdISCS CuOuHueO.
Unfounded charges of dictatorship"
dubious sources of finance" and ANTI
union activities" contained in the report
paralleled charges previously levelled at
MIRA by Tass Agency Pravda and Trud,
official organ of the u. S. S.. r. trade
unions. Just how the report came to
be compiled by the ICFTU secretariat
has not been disclosed. 1t began, ac-
cording to the Information Bulletin,
with an inquiry from India made by
Hind Mazdoor Saba Socialist Unions
OF India. However, Sibnath Baner-
jeem, president of Hind Mazdoor Saba.
has explicitly stated that neither he
nor his union nor his executive board
ever authorized any inquiry into MIRA.
Communist opposition to MIRA is
Understandable. MIRA has been able
to invade the ranks of the Communists
themSelVeS-Communi within the
ranks OF labor, some of them key men,
Whom MIRA has weaned away COM
pletely from Communist dictatorship
ana ldeology. 1t is also understand
able that the Reds and the pinkos
should seek to have MIRA censured by
American labor organizations. Such
actlon would give them a weapon to
use in their propaganda, widely spread.
One of the points of attack by oppo-
nents of MIRA has been it's financing.
They say that the sources of MIRA funds
are doubtful or the very rich Yet the
world work of MIRA is run on a basis
of voluntary giving and sacrifices. It's
finances are an open book. 1t is reg
ularly registered non-profit corpora
ton in all the large countries cf the
free world, its accounts are audited and
open to the public. In America it's
financial reports have been supplied
to officials of the CIO and AFL.