Evening star., 1953-09-21
'AFL Opens Sessions,
Leaders Determined
To Gust Dock Union
BY the Asseeictsd Press

by the Asseeicted Press
ST. LOUIS, Sept. 21.-The
AFL opened its annual conven-
ton today with leaders deter
mined to kick the 60.O0O-mem-
ber Longshoremen's Association
out Of the federation.
II convention delegates go
along with the officers proposal
to oust the lila. accused of har-
boring hoodlums and racketeers
along the New York and New
Jersey piers, a rival longshore-
mems union will be suggested.
George Meany, AFL president,
announced that the powerful
AFL Executive Council had de-
cided to recommend that the
convention void the LAS char
ter. Previously the council
favored only suspending the LILA,
but Mr.. Meany said the LAS
failure to conduct a cleanup
called for a stronger penalty.
Decide to Take Action.
1--WE had hoped" Mr.. Meany
said, that our recommending
suspension would spur the lila
into complying with our orders
of last February to rid the union
of racketeers and questionable
practices.
However, we've seen no ac-
tion to indicate they are going
to clean up the situation them
selves, So we're stepping in"
Mr.. Meany said that once the
AFL convention follows the
executive council advice and lifts
the lila charter, he will an
nounce plans to set up rival
union to accept lila members
under new leadership. The con-
vention may act tomorrow or
Wednesday.
Two unions competing for
members on the New York
waterfront could lead to trouble.
Complicating the situation is the
fact the ILA's contracts with
East and Gulf Coast shippers
expire October /.
Want to Remain, Ryan Says.
Joseph P. Ryan, 69-year-old
LILA president who is under in
dictment for larceny of his
unions funds, had little COM
ment, saying: 1--WE want to stay
in the AFL, but we want the
men to stay in the lila"
Mr.. Meany said about two
thirds of the LAS membership
is located outside the New York
New Jersey area and probably
will join the new AFL dock union
once it is established. Top AFL
officials, probably including Mr..
Meany. are expected to act as
temporary trustees of the new
union.
Today's opening convention
session was to be featured by a
keynote speech from Mr.. Meany.
It was disclosed that former
President Truman is expected to
address the delegates later in
the week, perhaps Thursday.
Nixon Will Speak.
Other scheduled speakers in
clude Vice President Nixon, who
is to deliver a personal. message
from President Eisenhower
Wednesday,. This is probably
the most anticipated event of
the convention because AFL Of
f1cials expect Mr.. Nixon to
answer charges that the admin
istration backed down. on prom
ises to recommend union-favored
changes in the Taft-Hartley
Law.
Martin Durkin, president Of
the AFL Plumbers Union and a
Democrat. duit his cabinet post
as Secretary of Labor. charging
such promises were broken.
Membership at New High.
An AFL officers report, pre-
pared for the convention and
released yesterday, said the Taft
Hartley law has failed to stop
the union organization from
achieving it's greatest member
ship figure in history.
The report said prosperous
times have led employers gen.
orally to steer clear of using
heavy anti-labor ammunition
provided by the TIL law"
The same report listed AFL
membership at 8,654,921 on June
80 compared with 8,098,302 a
year earlier, a gain of more
than half million. Officials
said the membership actually is
close to 10 million because many
AFL unions have consistently
under-stated strength.
The report showed the AFL
spent $685. 1868 for organizing ac-
tivities during the last year,
compared with $727.364 for the
previous year.