Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-05
Postal Union SPLIT


We are confident that The
Star would not knowingly
rnislead its readers nor coun-
tenance unfair reportorial
practices. Therefore we ask
you to correct both specific
misstatements and the un-
fortunate general impression
created by the article from
staff writer Lee Cohn from
San Juan. on page AS Of
The Sunday Star for Feb
ruary %, headlined "AFL-
Clio to Probe Split in Postal
Union"
The identity Of your re-
porter's informant is obvious
and unmistakable to those Of
US who were at San Juan and
who are familiar with cur
rent labor issues among Fed
eral employees. Indeed, his
identity should be obvious to
any sophisticated reader Of
the article familiar with rou-
tine journalistic m u m b o
jumbo.
We do not object to news
tipstering per Sc. We object
to the slanted plant. We OBJ
ject to the bland acceptance
of his objective news reli-
ability. We object to the fact
that as q special pleader
himself his own motivations
escaped examination al
though they are surely
germane.
Now for the clear ques-
tons Of fact:
/. The AFL-CIO did not
set up an investigating COM
mittee to probe the split in
our union. as your source
predicted and your headline
stated. The informed source
was not so informed after all.
And 1t Is significant that no
other newspaper dignified the
phony forecast by printing
1t.
2. The Star said that the
imagined probe. could re-
suit in a directive" from
the AFL-CIO to reform our
voting procedure and to
patch up our differences with
the rebel group. This wild
surmise carries the implica-
ton there is something
wrong with our voting proce-
dure and something valid
about the rebel cause. We
invite any reporter to exam
inc the facts on these two
implications.
3. The Star story contains
several statements dealing
with how and when the
intraunion rebellion
"erupted," all Of which are
factually inaccurate, includ-
ing the comment that when
we imposed trusteeships on
several large locals Ito quell
agitation for new voting
rules, they broke away" In
fact, the trusteeships were
not imposed until after the
leadership Of the dual union
formally organized their new
body and called for secession
by their followers. Our pur-
pose in acting then, and only
then, was to protect the real
assets and rights Of the many
individuals within the affect
ed locals who wanted no part
Of the rebel movement. Incl
dentally, the question Of vot-
ing representation has been
democratically decided with
In the union time and again,
both in open conventions and
in Nationwide referenda
open to every individual
member.
4. The Star said the new
union cannot be ignored be-
cause 1t Is making big inroads
in the NFPOC. 1t is probable
that the new union cannot be
ignored in terms of the racket
made by its leaders, but We
emphatically deny the "big
inroads" attributed to them
by you and claimed by them.
Our membership records are
available for inspection.
THEIRS are not.
5. The Star states that II
the dissidents continue to
demonstrate their strength
the AFL-CIO could seriously
consider their admission
President Meany Of the ALL
CLIO, in a fraternal letter
dated December 10 last. has
already warned every indi-
vidual member of our union
against the perils and futility
of division and dualism in
the trade-union movement.
with specific reference to our
split. Beyond that, however.
is the certificate Of affiiia-
ton granted to us in 1906
by the American Federation
Of Labor, empowering our
organization alone to organ
lie It's own trade and guar
anteeing our autonomy to do
30. Any group. Of course, has