Show Pittsburgh CIO Convention To Climax Career of Lewis Leivis John L L. Lewis' Lewis career as a labor leader cader will probably reach its cli cli- climax climax max November 14 when the C. C I. I O. O chieftain steps to the rostrum at Pittsburgh to open his organza organizations organization's organizations organization's tion's constitutional convention It will probably mark the death knell of a long cherished hope hop that labors labor's warring factions C. factions C. C I. I O. O and A. A F. F of L. L can L.-can can be brought back ack into a common fold For John JohnLewis JohnLewis JohnLewis Lewis will lead his mammoth octo octo- octopus octopus pus into a clearly defined rival or or- organization organization against that of William Green A. A F. F of L. L president Lewis' Lewis rise to power has been sen sen- sensational sensational and has furnished another instance of the wife whose perse perse- perseverance perseverance verance pulled a politically and socially so so- daily ungraceful husband to a tion ion of power and esteem In 1908 when Lewis married Myrta Edith Bell an Iowa school teacher his education had been confined to 15 years in the coal mines Became Union Leader The Lewis family settled down at Panama anama IlL IU- where the future C. C I. I O. O chieftain interspersed an ambi ambi- ambitious ambitious ambitious course of reading with leader leader- leadership leadership ship in the local coal union In 1919 reporters covering a bitter strike found him immersed in Homers Homer's Iliad Overnight he be be- became became came a powerful orator A few years later Mr Lewis was sent to the Illinois state capitol at Springfield as labor lobbyist by that time being the best informed men man mann in n the industry on wages and work work- workIng Ing lag conditions Under Samuel Gom Com Compers Gompers Gomper pers per wing he became vice president president dent of the United Mine Workers' Workers union soon becoming independent enough to run rim against Gompers for president of the A. A F. F of L. L The Thc vertical type of union or- or Lewis began champion champion- ip ig ng called for organization of all aU workers in the same industry into one union as opposed to the A. A F. F of L. L idea of organization by craft Lewis Lewis' independence started with the he New Deal and under wider his union ga gained ed members n ij S t 1 rv I X Sc 1 0 iy Li L j c 4 i r rr t r I S S j i-i i i l t i t. t i. i 4 f JE xz J ili s. s John I Lewis product of o o a a I c's ici perseverance to form the nucleus for C. C I. I O. O In 1935 at the Atlantic City A. A F. F of L. L convention he fought with Mr Green poked a vice president vice president in hi the jaw and walked out out Ambitious to organize all indus indus- industries industries tries on the tile vertical plan he has succeeded remarkably to date muen to toA A. A F F. of Ls L.'s concern At Atthe Atthe Atthe the recent federation convention In Houston the hope for peace was raised once more only to be ground underfoot as the conservative Green organization voted a war chest to fight C. C I. I O. O Now his last hope for a victorious peace shattered Lewis has called C. C I. I O. O members to Pittsburgh to perfect a permanent opposition body With this he hopes to expand the organization plan that has revolutionized labor Jabor thought in inthe inthe inthe the past decade Already safely en en- entrenched entrenched trenched in such industries as auto auto- automobiles automobiles automobiles mobiles steel glass coal and rub rub- rubber rubber ber he believes b that in time C. C I. I O. O will swallow completely the more conservative conser A. A F. F F of L. L J 0 |