Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-11

Mr.. Meany and Mr.. Reuther took
over the AFL and CLIO, respectively.
They found that much of the old
hard feeling had disappeared, and
that large majorities in both groups
wanted federation.
That federation was sealed last
week, and Is million workers (out
of II million who are union men,
bers) were for the first time in his
tory united in one labor movement.
Whot to Do?
So there they were. IS million
strong; what were they going to
do with themselves?
First on the agenda, for all prac-
teal purposes. was the job OF
achieving true unity. Though all
votes at the convention were unan-
imous, there was plenty Of strife
behind the scenes. Veteran labor
observers guessed it would take
several years to reduce all the prob
lens to manageable size.
They had to stamp out crime
and corruption in some member
unions. decide questions of racial
Indignation in others and work out
problems Of overlapping jurisdic-
tons in many.
Meanwhile, the convention de-
cided, recruitment should be the
big job insofar as the public was
concerned The convention set a
five-year goal Of is million new
members.
While those were the major items
of business. the talk revolved
around another subject: Unions in
politics.
President Eisenhower himself
brought up the subject in his con-
vention opening address. But he
was by no means the first to take
note Of big labor's new power Po-
litical orators for months have
been arguing the propriety of labor
exercising its strength in politics.
Senator Barry Goldwater, Repub-
lican Of Arizona, had said that the
new labor federation would have
ne moral right to indorse presi-
dental candidates; Senator H.
Alexander Smith. Republican of
New Jersey. extended that doctrine
to congressional candidates; Harold
E. Stassen. special assistant to the
President and frequent presidential
candidate, said labor's increased
political activity was menace to
the Nations welfare.
Eisenhower's Blessing
President Eisenhower, however,
did not view with alarm. He recog-
nized the interest of the new fed
Grafton in public matters outside
the realm of wages and hours, and
urged only that in speaking out
on these issues the AFL-CIO re-
spect the rights of the minorities
within the union.
Secretary of Labor James P.
Mitchell went even farther. He
urged the group to speak with a
loud and clear voice" in politics.
He wished the federation well in
its goal for new members, particu-
larly in its drive for strength in
the South.
Mr.. Mitchell's friendliness was
hardly overshadowed by that of
Democratic speakers at the con-
vention.
The two leading candidates for
the Democratic presidential nomi-
nation. Adlai E. Stevenson and
Averell Hartman, praised the I'M
ion men and defended them Wig
orously against their Republican
critics. Mr.. Stevenson, who got the
biggest hand of all the speakers,
claimed leading Republicans were
trying to foment class dissension
by criticizing labor.
mo election, no Office, Is worth
such price," Mr.. Stevenson said.
land I suggest that we put an end
to it--and quick"
There was little doubt that the
union officials will be Of more help
to Democrats than Republicans in
the coming elections. Mr.. Meany
and Mr.. Reuther said the big union
would expand its political activi-
ties. and the convention approved
a string of resolutions critical of
the Republican labor relations pol
icy.
There was considerable question,
however, as to the weight the ALL
CLIO officials could swing Mr..
Meany himself said that neither
he nor anyone else could tell a
union member how to vote. Re-