Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-13
Burkley Memoirs Show
Labor DoubIe-Cross
Writer Sees Union Leaders
Bossing Democratic Porty
By Fronk R. Kent

OVSS"'S DSHlVGIutiC IuIty
By Fronk R. Kent
That the labor bosses (particularly
Of the CIO) had achieved such con.
troll of the Democratic Party that il
cannot nominate its candidates for
either President or Vice President
without labor boss approval has been
stated good many times. The most
recent statement is in the autobiogra-
ply of former Vice President Barley,
just ended in national magazine and
soon to emerge in book form. Never be-
fore have the facts been laid on the
line so .concretely and convincingly by
so high ranking Democrat.
For 20 years this situation has been
deeply deplored by Democrats who
understood it and hated to see the
party to which they belong dictated
to by men whose chief purpose is to
serve their own interests and for whose
character and brains they have neither
respect nor regard. The facts have not
been driven home to the people as a
whole for two reasons-frst, because
the Democrats shrink from the degra-
dation Of conceding them; the second.
because the Republicans, always an
Cling Tor labor support, shrink from
oelng branded as the anti-labor party.
+
The stupidity of this in both parties
is clear. Not only are the labor bosses
unshakably Democratic but it has been
shown that they by no means can
deliver the rank and file Of organized
labor at the polls. Upon at least two
striking occasions when they were COM
pletely unified in opposition they have
been overwhelmingly beaten. Mr..
Barkley'S story Of how his 1852 candi-
dacy for the presidency was scuttled by
Mr.. Truman and the labor bosses, all
OF whom had committed themselves to
support him, ought to be understood
by all who do not like the idea of q
labor dominated President and o labor
controlled party. It is an extraordinary
exposure. II arrived in Chicago for the
1852 convention" wrote Mr.. Barkley.
with the assurances of party leaders
from President Truman down that
Adlai Stevenson would not take the
nomination and would be the con-
Ventlon's choice. Gov. Stevenson had
repeatedly insisted he did not want the
job. and Jake Arvey. the Illinois COM
mitteeman. had told me he thought
it could be arranged for Stevenson to
nominate me-" Then Mr.. Barley pro-
ceeds to tell what happened to him.
Before he left Washington he had
talked with Mr.. Truman, William
Green Of the AFL and Philip Murray
Of the CIO. All three personally
assured him Of support. Mr.. Truman
was particularly cordial. Mr.. Murray
said, You can count on us 100 per
cent" Mr.. Green said, 1--WE will do
everything we can for you" Mr.. Bark
ley arrived in Chicago a confident and
happy man.
The next day-Sunday-news came
to him that group of labor bosses,
including Jack Knoll, director of the
CLOS Political Action Committee; Joe
keenan,, head of the AFL's League for
Political Education; George Harrison,
AFL vice president; Walter Reuther,
who later succeeded Philip Murray as
Go president, had given out a state
ment that organized labor could not
support me. That same afternoon Knoll
and Harrison telephoned the White
House. They have since disclosed they
passed the word to President Truman
that labor would not support me-"
This" wrote Mr.. Barley, put the kiss
OF death to my candidacy" The next
day Mr.. Barley had number Of these
bosses to breakfast at his hotel but,
while they agreed he had been q friend
OF union labor all his life, he could not
shake their verdict. Realizing the final
ity Of their attitude, Mr.. Barley issued
statement that afternoon Withdraw
ing as candidate, in which he said. II
have learned that certain self-anointed
political labor leaders have announced
their opposition to me as Democratic
nominee for President. They have adj
mitted to me that weeks ago they COM
mitted themselves to a program and
candidates other than myself which
would give them greater control Of the
machinery and policies of the Demo-
cratic Party"
Next day, the labor bosses swung to
Mr.. Stevenson-and so did Mr.. Tru-
man. Also, from that time the silly
pretense that Mr.. Stevenson could not
be drafted was not taken seriously.
Mr.. Barley showed no bitterness, made
a stirring speech for Mr.. Stevenson
and. of course. supported him. But il
ever a man was treated Snabbily it
. was he, and If ever a President yielded
to pressure after giving his word it
was Mr.. Truman. Most of this has
been stated before. But Mr.. Barkley'S
added facts have made the labor domi-
nance of his party clearer. Altogether
it is an ugly story. but certainly after
this recital no one can longer doubt
that the Democratic Party as now con-
stituted has been completely taken over
by the labor bosses and that its leaders
are completely Subservient to them.
If they get fully to understand the
facts it is pretty sure that more Demo-
Gratis than revolted in 1852 again will
revolt against this kind of party con-
troll which still exists and which GER
tainly would have been strengthened II
the very suppliant Mr.. Stevenson had
been elected.