Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-04
Leaders
Plan Big Push
I'm So Election

Union leaders announced plans
yesterday for . big political push
in 1856.
AL President George Meany
and CLIO President Walter Reu-
|ther predicted in Labor Day
statements that the merger Of
their organizations in December
will mean q step-up in union
POLITICAL activity.
"Once labor. is. united" Mr..
Meany said, we are resolved to
intensity the political activities
of labor and free the trade union
movement of these shackles
forged by the political power Of
big business.
By these shackles" he refer
red to the Taft-dartley Act and
what he called ''the mis-named
right to work laws, which pro-
hibit union security contracts, /"
now in force in 10 States. In
general, these laws ban the union
shop. in which workers must Join
the union. Mr.. Reuther said:
THE new united labor move
ment will. feel confident, be
more active than either the CLIO
or AFL separately. in organizing
unorganized workers into temo-
cratic trade unions; in working
with other group: in the COM
immunity; in helping to elect the
best qualified candidates for pub
lie office; and in seeking to bring
|about the passage of liberal
forward-looking legislation in
every field"
Unions Cautioned
4 Mr.. Meany. who is to head the
combined AFL-CIO, cautioned
unions in his statement to move
carefully to avoid any new legal
restraints.
In the year ahead" he said
Everything that labor does will
be closely watched by those who
Iare hunting for pretexts to place
further legal chains on unions
Let us, therefore, live up to the
high ideals Of the founders of our
movement"
Both MIR. Meany and Mr.,
Ruther. who is expected to play
a prominent role in the new
setup, expressed dissatisfaction
with Eisenhower administration
progress in enacting school, high
way, housing and social security
legislation. MIR. Meany said:
These are only a few of the
progressive legislative goals OF
labor which we can attain once
we have marShaled the political
power inherent in the vast men,
Ibership of the united labor
movement"
Is Million Claimed
The combined organization will
claim IS million members.
Mr.. Meany's warning that un-
ions must use care in welding
this new power comes after sew
eral recent moves to curb union
political activities.
Mr.. Reuther's big United Auto
Workers Union was indicted this
summer on charges of violating
q Taft-Hartley law ban by in
dorsing Democratic candidates
flor Federal Office in the 1852 cam.
lpaign over union-paid radio and
television breakfasts.
Also, Wisconsin and New
Hampshire have passed new law.
prohibiting unions from aidins
1.-THE campaigns of candidates fol
State Offices. They are similar tt
the TIL law provision against
union campaign aid to candi.
dates for Federal Office.
The Labor Day statements oil
both Mr.. Meany and MIR. Reu.
ther dwelt heavily on the inter.
national situation. Mr.. Reuthel
commended President Eisen.
hover "for his personal contri.
button at Geneva toward lessen.
/, ing world tensions"
Mr.. Meany said that while L
was wise to take advantage Of
'Iall opportunities to negotiat.
with Communist leaders OF
world peace I'VE must Away.
remember that we cannot rel!
on the promises or the unsup.
ported word of dictators wht
!, Icondone and practice mass OPP
preston and slave labor"