Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-09-25
Russia Assai|s
Labor Text Of
Coast Debate

Coast Debate
MOSCOW. Sept. rs tAP)-
Walter p. Reuther has been
accused In q Soviet statement
OF spreading absolutely fan
tastic inventions in telling Of
exchanges at the San Fran
cisco meeting of AAL-CIo rep
resentatives with Premier
Khrushchev.
The president of the United
Auto Workers grossly distorted
Mr.. Khrushchev's statements
at q news conference concern
ing the meeting. said the state
ment issued yesteday, attributed
to the Soviet press group with
the Premier and distributed by
the Tass news agency.
It accused Mr.. Reuther OF
ascribing to Mr.. Khrushchev
things shat he had never
said"
Moreover. the statement
charged the text of a sum-
mary made public by the
American labor leaders and
published Tuesday was "abso.
lutely distorted in its contents. p
They apparently feared to
inform the readers Of the So
Wet Premier's actual pro-
nouncements." the Soviet
statement said.
Reporters Barred
American reporters were
barred from the meeting OF
Mr.. Khrushchev with the labor
leaders. For the avowed pur-
pose Of re-establishing the
truth. the lengthy Soviet state
ment alternated paraphrase
and direct quotations.
At one point it introduced q
racial note:
'Khrushchev noted that
present during the converse
ton was Mr.. Weaver, a Negro,
who tried to put a question
several times, but Reuther
stubbornly did not wish to no.
tice him.
You are conducting this
talk undemocratically,' Khru-
shchev said. let the black man
speak. Is it not a disgrace that
you have places that are out OF
bounds for Negroes?'"
(The reference was to George
P. Weaver, an aide to President
James B. Carey Of the Interna-
tional Union of Electrical,
Radio and Machine Workers.
Mr.. Weaver repeatedly called
on Mr.. Khrushchev for an an
swer to the questions raised
about Hungary and other cold
war problems.)
Red Unions an Issue
Different approaches were
shown concerning several as
poets Of the meeting. A debate
over Russian trade unions was
one Of the high spots. This
was the Soviet version:
walter Reuther again tried
to heat up the atmosphere by
declaring that trade unions in
the USSR were appendices Of
the state. He demanded an
explanation of why the Soviet
trade unions did not come out
O against the Communist
party. Some of the trade union
leaders asked for the floor,
but Reuther dismissed this
and tried to speak for every
one.
"'You are like a nightin-
gale,' Khrushchev said, smil-
ing. When singing it closes
the eyes, sees and hears moth
ing and no one except itself.
This triggered q burst Of
laughter. bringing blood to
Mr.. Reuther'S face. However,
he stuck to his point. posing as
a defender Of the Soviet
workers.
Why are you poking your
nose into other peoples plans?'
Khrushchev asked. The Soviet
workers manage their affairs
by themselves, and they can do
it without outside interference,
AS long as you endeavor to lee
ture other people there will be
no conversation
There is such a notion as
international workers solidar-
ity.' Walter Reuther said
pompously.
land you dare speak Of in
ternational solidarity after you
had split the World Federation
Of Trade Unions by pitching
your trade unions against the
unions of most Of the other
countries of the world?', Khfu-
Shchev replied.
"Reuther did not answer. :"
American Version
The summary issued by the
American labor leaders led of
its account Of the squabble over
Soviet unions with an inquiry
by Mr.. Reuther as to how a
worker Of the Stain era could
get justice without a strike or