Evening star., 1953-09-07
Appeals for Unity
OF All Labor Mark
Nation S Holiday
ax tho A,,eeiu,ad Prs.s

Labor Day, traditional end-of-
summer holiday. brought to
American workers today new re-
minders that they are i'm
measurably better of than their
ceunterparts behind the Iron
Curtain. 1t also brought declara-
tons that they should be still
better OF.
President Eisenhower, at his
vacation headquarters in Den
yer. issued a statement saying
American workmen mock the
false inSinuation that economic
well-being can be purchased
only at the cost Of political free
DOM"
'They are the final answer to
those who prate of freedom and
practice slavery, who excuse ter
ror and aggression in the name
of concern for the very workers
whose lives they stifle." the
President said.
Congress Attacked.
The Republican controlled
Congress came in for attacks by
President George Meany of the
AFL and Secretary Treasurer
James B. Carey of the CIO.
Mr.. Meany said on a CHS
television program yesterday
that I'VE have gone backwards
in America" since Labor Day a
year ago, and he declared: I'VE
think the 83d Congress has
failed to do the things that are
vital to the welfare of the
American people"
Mr.. Carey, on an NBC radio
program, said the new Republi-
can regime had brought benefits
only to big business which, he
declared .''reaped a multi-million
dollar windfall."
Economies Called Bright.
Lloyd A. Mashburn, Under
secretary of Labor, said in a talk
prepared for California State
Fair audience at Sacramento
that despite a few troubled in
dustries the overall economic
picture is bright. He added:
'"The economy is today oper-
ating at extremely high levels
and there is no indication that
1t is about to turn down in the
near future. This healthy eco
nomic situation can give workers
cause for celebration on this
their holiday"
On the question of labor unity,
Teamsters President Beck, re-
Gently named an AFL vice presi-
dent. said, "All labor must unite.
We believe it will do so event.
ually We urge it to act now"
I'm this spirit" Mr.. Beck said,
I'VE call upon the coming AFL
convention to invite the CIO
and John L. Lewis and his Unit
ed Mine Workers to come into
the AFL before another Labor
Day passes"
Convention Opens Sept. Fl
The AFL convention opens in
st. Louis September 81. The
AFL and the CIO have been
discussing merger plans. with
out concrete evidence Of any
major progress. But Mr.. Lewis
has not been invited to take
part.
He said in a statement Sat-
urday night that the mine work.
ers he heads express fervent
hope that a year hence will see
the labor movement united and
working as one for the economic.
social and political welfare of
the people," Mr.. Lewis added:
However, this will not be
realized unless the memberships
of the trade unions rise up and
insist upon the leadership of
their unions consummating Or
ganic unity without 'conferenc-
ing the matter to death"
lReuther Delays Issue.
CIO President Walter Reu-
ther, on a televiSion program
from Detroit, said inclusion of
independent unions like the
mine workers in unity plans
would be discussed later. To
consider them now would toss
too many disruptive issues into
the AFL-CIO merger talks. he
said.
President David j. Mcdonald
of the CIO United Steelworkers,
in a statement issued at Pitts
burgh, said: Ever greater CO.
operation between labor and in
dustry to improve living stand
ards for all Americans is taking
place at the grass roots in more
and more instances"
Mr.. Mcdonald also called for
"a greater measure of labor
unity as an aid to progress" "