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Show UTAH LABOR NEWS, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH. MAY 21, 1937. 6 Score A. F. of L. Officials For Their Lack of Vision Report of Executive Board At International Ladies' Garment Workers Convention Says Rule or Ruin Policy of Federation Brought On Split In Labor's Ranks Dubinsky Credits Trade Union Sweep To C. I. O. Interest Time For New Policy ATLANTIC CITY, N. J. (UNS) Lack of courage and vision and a disastrous rule or ruin" policy were displayed by the executive council of the American Federation of Labor in dealing with the C. I 0. controversy, the general execu tive board of the International La dies' Garment Workers charged in the report to the Atlantic City con vention. More than 500 delegates from 236 local unions were present a the convention termed by Presi dent David Dubinsky as the mos important 'in the history of the union. At the previous convention held in Chicago in 1934, some 350 in labor organization which the 0. has aroused and which is increasing in volume as the weeks and months pass by." The time has come, said Dubfn-sky- , when the labor forces of America can organize the millions in the mass production industries, and can organize them in industrial unions. It is clear that there is no room for more than one union to function in any of the mass production industries," he declared. The perpetuation of the old system of craft unions in the mass production industries, as the executive council of the A. F. of L. has been insisting upon, would stop the march of trade union progress," American induDubinsky said. stry has adopted modern methods and modern forms and the labor movement cannot remain at a standstill and lag behind these modern forms of organization." The Presidents Message A message from President Roosevelt sending personal greetings to the convention was read to the delegates by Dubinsky. The President expressed satisfaction to know that the various branches of the womens garment industry had achieved higher labor standards and had brought about sound argeements between organized workers and employers. ( . C. I. delegates were present. Blames A. F. of L. for Split Reviewing the course of events which has led t6 the present divi sion between the A. F. of L. and has resulted in 18 national and international unions affiliating with the C. I. O., the report of the board said that the split in the American labor movement could have been avoided if the A. F. of L. officials had listened to reason, instead of and narclinging to the die-harow visioned attitude they had adopted from the start." An examination of the current scene in American industry and labor fully justified the active and militant policy of industrial unionism for the workers in the mass .j production industries which the dominant craft union leadership so NEWSMAGAZINE ON and sidepersistently fought SENATOR BERRY said. the tracked," report It was the lack of foresight and Selection of Major George L. the disregard of fundamentals disas U. S. senator from Ten Berry council executive played by the nessee is discussed in the current rewhich was overwhelmingly of Time magazine, which ssue sponsible for the present turmoil, o r s e e s that when President rancor, and division," the report Roosevelt decides to push bills for charged. of and hours, regulation wages i Time for New Policy e the coordinator for in inWorkers in mass production dustrial would be an cooperation dustries had given an inspiring re- appropriate sponsor. sponse, the report asserted, which George Leonard Berry showed unquestionably that the of Major Tennessee came within three time for a new organizing policy votes of beating Brother Charlie had come. But the A. F. of L. 3ryan for the Democratic leadership did not have the cournomination at Madison age and vision" to see it. Square Garden in 1924, the Time of the execu- article reports. The Brother Charlie tive council which met in January, was, of course, not elected, but at 1936, to try to heal the breach beeast he was governor of Nebrastween the C. I. 0. and the A. F. of ka. George Berry never got even L., the report said, embarked on hat far in politics. Until last week few people exa policy of ultimata, of conclusions, and of a denial to cept George Leonard Berry could the accused unions of the legal and possibly have cared about that 924 bubble in the stream of U. S. ethical rights to which they were entitled." listory. But it became significant The criticism of the A. F. of L. ast week when Tennessees govpolicy in its dealings with the C. ernor Gordon Browning, after 13 I. 0. were contained in the section days of playing senator, senator, of the report which summarized who would be senator?, picked the work of the I. L. G. W. since its George Berry to occupy the late last convention. The executive Sfathan Lynn Bachmans seat in board pointed out, in concluding ;he U. S. senate until Tennessees this section, that since the begin- regular election next year. Meets Requirement ning of the split, it had worked for Governor Browning visitAfter in the ed peace and reconciliation House last fortnight, White the ranks of labor. it was generally assumed that the Dubinsky Speaks one qualification positively deProlonged applause interrupted manded of Senator Bachmans sucPresident David Dubinsky of the cessor was of the PresInternational L ad ie s Garment idents court support There was nevplan. Workers when he made his first er doubt about George Berrys any reference to the Committee for In- meeting that requirement. But dustrial Organization in his open- wiseacres reported him definitely ing speech at the twenty-thir- d eliminated from the list when it convention of the union. came to light that he and three asDescribing the rapid growth of sociates had filed a $1,633,000 unionism among unorganized work- claim against Tennessee Valley ers, Dubinsky said that the I. L. Authority for mineral rights on G. W. had enlisted the cooperasome of their property flooded by tion of the C. I. 0. because the Norris dam. No congressman can members of the union ivere sin- prosecute a claim against the govcerely convinced that the time has ernment, and George Berry was come for the labor forces of Amer- threatening last fortnight to take ica to organize them in industrial his case to court unless it was satunions." isfactorily arbitrated. But it was by no means certain last week that It was the camBerry must sacrifice $400,-00Major paigns undertaken by the C. L. 0., more for his seat in Dubinsky asserted, which had the senate. orAsless, influential senan aroused the interest of vast he find the may ator, way to arbigroups of labor which had never tration smooth. Also, unexpectedly thought of unionism or believed it there was to prevent his nothing The effect possible in their trade. of the claim in on the workers of the country was selling his share his friend press advance, We have felt the suit. letting electric, he said. it in our industry and among our It has been the fashion in New workers as well. Deal Washington to marvel at big, C. I. O. Aroused Wide Interest hairy-fisteboldish, I have no hesitation in stating g George L. Berry, late that the fine results and response of the A. E. F. He made himself which our organizing forces in all conspicuous at the start when, gosections of the country are achiev- ing up in 1933 to find a job with cannot be NRA, he refused to accept any saling," he continued, separated from the general interest ary. He continued conspicuous rd er ican. Nova Scotia Union Pointing out that many of the A. F. of L. unions bar colored work SYDNEY, N. S. (UNS) More ers either openly or covertly, Jones than 3,000 steel workers in Nova Scotia now belong to the new steel writes: which in workers union affiliated to the C. In all those industries the A. F. of L. gains the ascend- I. 0. In two weeks over a thouancy, as presently administered, sand signed up although there was colored workers will be at a dis- no full time organizer in the field. The Dominion Steel and Coal advantage. For the A. F, of L. will be the conservative labor body, Company tried to dampen the enand conservatism, so far as we are thusiasm for a union by announcconcerned, will mean the color bar." ing a 7 per cent wage increase Jones calls attention to the just before the organization cambroader policy of the C. I. 0. to- paign started, but this only increased the zeal of the workers to ward colored workers, saying: If the John L. Lewis group wins have a strong union to represent out in the fight to gain control of them. American labor, the trend will be Later 200 workers were diswill charged, but this also failed to which toward liberalism, mean the letting down of the color check the drive. Then an attempt bar, for his type of union could was made to bolster up the preswin only if that is done." tige of the plant council, or comHe expresses his belief that the pany union. A meeting was callLABOR ON ITS best interests of colored workers, ed to fight the menace of a forthe immediate sacrifices, eign controlled" union. Members FORWARD MARCH! whatever would lie in aligning themselves still continued to flock into the C. wholeheartedly with the new John I. O. union. L. Lewis C. I. 0. group. (Continued from Page 5) Finally the plant council handed The A. F. of L. lost an important This offers the only immediate in its resignation to the executives battle in the campaign when re- hope just now of anything like a of the dominion Steel and Coal Co. fused an injunction in the courts fighting chance for an equitable (Continued on Page 8) petitioning that the funds of the local be turned over to A. F. of L. k, Union Needs Funds DENVER, Colo. (UNS)- -A de- fense fund is being raised to pro- vide legal aid for eleven members of the Galena, Kans., local of the Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers union, under arrest in Colunjbus, Ohio, on a murder charge. The arrests of the men grew put of a raid made on the Galena union headquarters by a mob led by members of a company union armed with pick handles, who had previously raided and demolished union halls in Treece, Kans., and Picher, Okla. When the mob appeared in Galena, the union members attempted to protect themselves, and in the which followed, nine were wounded. One of them died later in the hospital. The unions has sent out a request asking that contributions for the defense of these men be sent to the Galena Defense Fund, care of the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers, 720 Colorado Building, Denver, Colo. Negro Labor Md. (UNS) The vital concern of Negro workers in the success of the C. I. 0. is BALTIMORE, vice-jresident- ial sub-commit- tee star-chamb- er when, after the supreme court had axed the blue eagle, he kept up his pretensions to potency as keeper of its bones. His title of coordinator for industrial cooperation sounded imposing, but about all he could do was call conferences from which big businessmen, knowing him for a professional labor leader, shied away in droves. And when he sounded off as chairman of Labors n League for Roosevelts last year, every-- 1 one knew that the real power in the League was John L. Lewis. Berry Can Speak Scoffers did well to reconsider George Berry last week. It wasi not safe to discount the political potentialities of a man who, orphaned at seven and working at everything from printing to prize fighting while most future bigwigs were going to school and college, had risen to his extraordinary place in the world. First rule of every political orator is to establish a bond with his audience. George Berry can speak to labor as president since 1907 of the Interna-- 1 tional Printing Pressmen and Assistants Union of North America. George Berry can speak to business as owner of the biggest color g plant in the U. S. (at Rogersville, Tenn.), owner of three newspapers, controlling! stockholder of one bank and director of another. George Berry can speak to farmers as owner of the biggest farm (30,000 acres near Rogersville, Tenn.,) in the U. S. southeast. Senator George Berry whoj wasted no time taking his seat this week, should prove a voluble .rival of New Yorks Robert F. Wagner as champion of labor. When Pres- ident Roosevelt decides to push bills for regulation of wages and hours, the planspouting one time coordinator for industrial cooperation would be an appropriate sponsor. Last week it might have been either or to speculate on George Berrys position if and when John L. Lewis, who would reputedly rather be a Mark Hanna than a William McKinley, attains his full political stature. Non-Partisa- on label-printin- ng 0, red-face- d, (Continued from page 1) tion of piece-worand an agreement for a closed union shop. The union auto mechanics have the backing of both the C. I. 0. and A. F. of L. union labor. .Organized labor in general believe that the demands of the union are reasonable and in keeping with present day living .conditions. Both the representatives of labor and the representatives of the employers, are on friendly terms and are hopeful for an early settlement of the existing differences in negotiations. The leaders of all branches of labor organizations are in readiness to give whole-hearte- d support to the striking auto mechanics in the event it becomes necessary to prolong the strike. discussed by William N. Jones, a status in American industry. If is no chance here, there leading colored newspaperman, in there Beems to be no chance anywhere," a recent column in the Afro-Am- fight one-tim- far-reachi- Aulo Mechanics Negotiate Wages Next Week Bread and Organized Labor by Dr. Charles Stelzle, executive director, Good Neighbor League. . , Read Labor On Its Forward March: C. I. O. Is Active, a regular feature in the Utah Labor News. In addition, as usual, stirring editorials, labor V, and economic progress, spicy and timely comment on the federal court reform. A The Best is none too Good for get the BEST information in the Utah Labor Nevs when it comes to labor activities, social economics, and a review of current events. Become a regular "subscriber and ask your friends to do likewise. you-w-y- ou Only $1.50 a Year... And Worth It! hard-workin- g, far-fetch- d, far-sight- ed loud-talkin- I ed The Utah Labor News 24 South Fourth East St. Salt Lake City. |