McCormick messenger. (McCormick, S.C.) 1902-current, July 29, 1937, Image 3
McCORMICK MESSENGER, McCORMICK, S. C., THURSDAY, JULY 29, 1937
LABOR’S ‘BATTLE OF THE CENTURY’
Clash Between John L. Lewis’ C. I. O. and William Green’s A. F. of L.
Broadens on All Fronts; Government May Intervene.
openly against John Lewis’ C. I. O.
When it began to recognize the
C. I. O. threat to its supremacy, the
A. F. of L. lost little time in raising
its dues from one cent per month
per member to two cents; the old
rate has usually been enough to
make both ends meet but it was not
enough to finance the fight against
John L. Lewis.
Until recently the only funds in
the C. I. O. war chest were those
which affiliated unions contributed
to it when money was needed to
press its drives. But now C. I. O.
By WILLIAM C. UTLEY
I N THIS comer—Bill Green, flashy stepper of the American
Federation of Labor and the craft unions. And in this corner
—John L. Lewis, two-fisted mauler of the Committee for Indus
trial Organization and the vertical unions. The stake—the
4 ‘championship’* of American labor organization. The fight—
to a finish. &
It was predicted months ago that
the battle would be a live and bitter
one—and it is. As the weeks roll by
it becomes more and more apparent
that A. F. of L. and C. I. O. are in
vading each other’s fields. C. I. O.
has gained steadily in membership,
and A. F. of L. has defended its
positions by intensifying its own
membership drives.
Today the A. F. of L. claims a
membership of 3,600,000, and the
C. I. O. is pressing it closely with
a claimed 3,000,000. Bulwarks of
me Green organization’s strength
are the printing industry, teamsters
and truckers, the building trades
and metal trades, hotel and restau
rant employees, street car workers
and entertainers. Lewis finds his
power in the basic and mass pro
duction industries — coal, steel,
men’s and women’s clothing, rub
ber, oil, textiles, automobiles, etc.
But Lewis has clashed and is
clashing with A. F. of L. in places
which it has assumed were its own
grounds. The latest of these is the
maritime front. Meeting with 26
representatives of 23 maritime un
ions on both the east and west
coasts, he announced that C. I. O.
would attempt to gather the scat
tered unions into one big organiza
tion which will include workers on
both coasts, the Great Lakes, the
Gulf of Mexico and inland water
ways. There are said to be 350,000
such workers. A. F. of L. already
has two strong unions in the field.
A. F. of L. Wins in Philly.
The apathy of one organization for
the other among maritime workers
is demonstrated almost constantly
on the east coast. Scarcely a week
passes when there is not a strike of
workers affiliated with one or the
other of the two groups on some
ship scheduled to leave port. The
two organizations will not work with
each other; if a ship owner makes
an agreement with one union, the
other walks out.
The condition is true even when
the workers of one group involved
are not engaged in the same in
dustry as the other group. In Phila
delphia not long ago, 25,000 team
sters affiliated with the Green or
ganization went on strike. They
were protesting the fact that C. I. O.
unions had made an agreement with
bakery employers. A. F. of L. won;
it effected a truce providing for
elections in the bakery plants, C.
I. O. promising to withdraw if it
lost the elections. C. I. O. lost and
pulled ou$.
An interesting clash arose on a
Seattle newspaper. The dispute was
between the American Newspaper
guild and the teamsters’ union
about control over the paper’s cir
culation department employees. The
guild was a member of C. I. O.,
taking in workers in the circulation,
advertising and business offices, as
well as editorial departments of
newspapers.
The pSper was forced to suspend
publication pending settlement of
the dispute. Teamsters refused to
deliver the papers until members of
the circulation department were
placed elsewhere and their jobs
given to A F. of L. members. The
guild members then went on strike
claiming that the newspaper had
struggle is no toy conflict and will
probably take a hand in it sooner or
later. It hardly seems possible that
the administration could overlook a
struggle with so many and so broad
implications. One solution which is
reported to have been suggested by
one high in administration circles
would attempt to bring the two or
ganizations together. The plan is
to offer Green a government post,
and let him be succeeded by George
M. Harrison, president of the Broth
erhood of Railroad Clerks. Within
the A. F. of L. there would then be
formed a new division over the basic
industries; this would be headed by
John L. Lewis.
But one of the main issues of the
present battle within the ranks of
labor is over who shall dominate
A. F. of L. policy—the craft union
groups or the basic industries’ un
skilled workers. Lewis’ bloc threat
ens now to get so powerful that it
Opponents in labor’s current fight: William Green (left), president
of the American Federation of Labor, and John L. Lewis, chairman of
the Committee for Industrial Organization.
has started collecting dues of five
cents a month per, member of af
filiated unions.
Of course there are national un
ions belonging to one organization
or the other which have large treas
uries of their own. The bricklay
ers* union is said to enjoy a balance
of some $7,000,000, while the ladies'
garment workers are $2,000,000 in
the black. Lewis is said to have
spent $1,000,000 in the steel workers’
strikes against independent steel
corporations.
"What Employers Face.
Employers are often faced with
truly mortal problems as a result
of the Green-Lewis friction. For in
stance there is the case of an auto
mobile body corporation which was
planning some major construction.
The company’s employees are dom
inated by the United Automobile
Workers of America, a C. I. O. un
ion. A C. I. O. union demands the
work of digging the foundations. The
contractor is afraid to begin work
on the job for fear the A. F. of L.
unions will not work on the super
structure. If he gives the founda
tion work to A. F. of L. men, he
courts reprisals by C. I. O. auto
mobile workers in the town. So
the construction is not being done
and nobody is benefiting from the
employment it would provide.
Certain aspects of the rise of C. I.
O. have reacted definitely to the
advantage of the American Federa
tion of Labor. Industries which in
the past have been none too anxious
Scenes like this are hardly uncommon in labor’s current crisis.
taken 19 circulation men out of their
jobs because they had refused to
leave the union of their choice and
join the teamsters’ union. Police
eventually removed the strike pick
ets and publication was resumed.
It is said that the order of* the
C. I. O. is not to encroach upon in
dustrial fields which the A. F. of L.
already has “successfully” organ
ized, but this order has been vio
lated, chiefly by minor organizers
who, in their enthusiasm, have sim*
ply ignored it.
Federation Doubles Dues.
The Federation is not so passive
in policy.' It regards the C. I. O.
as an out-and-out rival and makes
no pretense of foregoing the C. I. O.
field. It campaigns militantly and
to deal with the A. F. of L. are now
welcoming it as an alternative to
C. I. O., of which they are appar
ently afraid.
Here’s One Solution.
Where local unions join the C. I.
O., the A. F. of L. sets out to make
up a rival union. This has happened
in a number of cases. The A. F. of
L. has been known to borrow em
ployees from factories where its
units are recognized to recruit new
members in other factories where
C. I. O. appears to hold a majority.
As one faction or the other has
sought to break picket lines, vio
lence has sometimes occurred, with
attendant injuries, both serious and
minor.
Washington realizes that the labor
will be able to vote itself into con
trol of that policy. If the above
plan would be successful, some
agreement would have to be
reached — and guaranteed — that
would allow the two groups to share
the power. But it does not appear
that either wants to share it, and
such a truce would be difficult in
deed to effect.
Whether or not the C. I. O. is on
the way downhill because of its fail
ure to obtain written contracts in
the strike against the independent
steel companies is still widely de
bated. The campaign began a year
ago, and by February some con
tracts had be e n obtained. The
United States Steel corporation ca
pitulated and signed C. I. O. con
tracts for its Carnegie-Illinois sub
sidiary’s employees. This lent im
petus to the Steel Workers’ Organ
izing Committee drive until today it
claims 260 contracts involving more
than 350,000 steel workers.
«
Companies Woo Public Opinion.
But the independent companies
refused to sign contracts and are
apparently getting away with it. Be
fore the federal mediation board
they opened up an attack concen
trated upon Lewis, charging that
any C. I. O. affiliate was irresponsi
ble, threatened to break contracts
and did break them. Examples cited
included the United Automobile
Workers of America, a C. I. O. af
filiate, with which General Motors
and Chrysler signed agreements,
only to be plagued with hundreds of
sit-down strikes after the agreement
had been made.
Companies lost no chances to im
press the public with the violence
ori the picket lines that were estab
lished by C. I. O. unions. When
there was resentment of the employ
ment of vigilantes by local police
and by the companies, the vig
ilantes were upheld on the grounds
that C. I. O. had regular armies of
its own which it continually threat
ened to move in upon strike areas.
The contention is made that with
the failure of C. I. O. in the inde
pendent steel strikes, “Big Steel”
and the automobile companies will
refuse to sign again when their con
tracts come up for renewal. Pre
dictions are also made that C. I. O.
is due for another serious drop in
prestige in its attempt to organize
the employees of the Ford Motor
company.
Despite its failure to date in “Lit
tle Steel,” the C. I. O.’s leaders are
determined that they are here to
stay, and are going right ahead in
their organization of other indus
tries.
The U. A. W. A. is airing its com
plaints against Ford in a hearing
before the national labor relations
board. In Washington the United
Federal Workers of America are
trying to organize 800,000 federal
employees. The drive is on in the
maritime field. C. I. O. is seeking
national organization of agricultur
al, cannery and fruit and vegetable
workers. It is broadening out into
transportation, textiles, lumber, to
bacco and education. It does not
regard the “Little Steel” failure
(if indeed it can be regarded as
such) as an important one.
© Western Newspaper Union.
GOOD TASTE
TODAY
by
EMILY POST
World’* Foremost Authority
on Etiquette _
© Emily Post.
Must She Wear His
“Ex’s” Discarded Ring?
EAR Mrs. Post: I am really
^ worried about how I am going
to handle a situation which I feel
coming on. I mean that I am en
gaged to a man who was married,
and when he became divorced, his
wife gave him back both engage
ment and wedding ring. I believe
from something he has said to me
that he expects to give me this
same engagement ring. I don’t be
lieve it possible that he would con
sider giving me the wedding ring
although I don’t know definitely, but
we’ll cross that bridge later. The
complicating point is the fact that
his first wife used to live here and
went with the same people I do
now, and they would of course rec
ognize either or both of these rings.
It is beside the question, but I want
to make clear that I had nothing to
do with the divorce; and marrying
him was far from my mind until
just recently. But how can I make
it plain to him that I must not be ex
pected to wear her rings?
Answer: I can’t imagine that he
would expect you to wear a stone
that was hers without having it re
set so as to be unrecognizable. If
you have reason to suspect that he
intends giving you this same ring,
tell him frankly—and now—that it
would make you very unhappy to
wear anything so closely associated
with someone else. As to the wed
ding ring, he would certainly buy
you ^ new one.
• • •
If Garnish Is Edible,
Go Ahead and Eat It
EAR Mrs. Post: I am a teacher
of home economics and re
cently one of my students called
attention to the fact that one does
not eat the slice of tomato or the
radish or whatever may be used to
garnish a platter. We would like to
have your opinion.
Answer: You may help yourself
to whatever is your portion of the
dish proffered, even to the decora
tion, if it is edible. Most people
would not consider a trimming
made of raw beet or turnip edible,
but if you like one of these vege
tables, there is no reason in the
world why you should not eat even
such garnishing if you want to.
• • •
First-Names for Step-Parents,
D EAR Mrs. Post: A friend of
mine is to be married to a
widower who has a grown son, al
most thirty. His mother died sev
eral years ago. My friend is won
dering whether the son should be
asked to call her “Mother” or
whether it is a modern custom for
children to call step-parents by their
first names. She is almost twice his
age.
Answer: If they are strangers he
will probably call her “Mrs.,” at
least in the beginning. Later when
they know each other, what he calls
her will depend upon their affection
for each other. In any case I think
she must let him decide this for
himself. While it is true that many
grown sons and daughters call step
parents by their first names, this
familiarity seems less unsuitable to
others when the step-parent is
younger than your friend.
• • •
*
Making a “Fourth,”
D EAR Mrs. Post: Two years ago
I began substituting for a friend
in her bridge club, the idea at the
time being that I was to take her
place just for a few meetings. She
has been ill and away but is now
ready to come back. They are all
insisting that I must stay in the
club, too, each one taking turns at
sitting out during the games. I
would rather discontinue this bridge
club altogether, but how can I do
this diplomatically without having
anyone feel that I am dissatisfied
with the arrangement?
Answer: Why not tell them that
you would be perfectly delighted to
be put down as a supernumerary
and that you would come any time
in anyone’s place?
• * •
Telling the Newspapers.
D EAR Mrs. Post: May I an
nounce my engagement in the
newspapers, as I have no parents
and am not especially attached to
any relative whom I would like to
have announce it for me?
Answer: According to best taste,
you should write notes to all your
friends, and that is all. At least it
is not considered proper that a girl
send an announcement to the news
papers in her own name. It would
be quite proper, however, to have
your nearest relative send a notice
for you saying the engagement of
Miss Mary Smith, daughter of the
Jate Mr. and Mrs. John Smith, has
been announced.
• • •
Informal Lace Cover.
D EAR Mrs. Post: Is a lace table
cover at a six o’clock informal
dinner proper table covering?
Answer: Yes, entirely so, if it is
becoming to your room and to the
things with which you set your ta
ble.
Sheer Wools in Summer Wardrobe
By CHERIE NICHOLAS
, %
T HERE’S no doubt about it, the
well-dressed woman of today
knows the value of clothes that will
go places and do things with the
same ease and aplomb as their
streamlined wearer." The up-and-
about wardrobe must contain frocks
and costumes that will adapt them
selves with taste and comfort to
any number of changing scenes and
temperatures.
No matter what the season, there
is something about sheer wool that
does the trick. Tailored or dress
maker in style, a sheer wool cos
tume carries with 41 a classic at
mosphere which keeps it never too
dressy for town or country, travel
ing or local activities. There is
ever that something about the
smart new light woolen ensembles,
dresses and coats that bespeak that
casual look of good taste that is
aristocratically at home at tea or
card party or any more or less so
cial event of the day.
J Wool knits, light as a feather and
luxuriously soft to the touch, make
charming and supremely correct
sports frocks. Whether you are an
agile golfer or simply a deck
lounger your wool knit costume will
give you a joyful feeling of freedom
to take your fun as you find it.
Both pastel and darker shades are
too smart for sports and clever de
signs vary from one-piece classic
styles to two-piece and jacket cos
tumes that may be ensembled
with a variety of blouses and acces
sories. Zephyr knits, soft wool jer
seys and fine featherweight angoras
are cool and comfortable, and lacy
weaves in lightweight wool are
unusually interesting.
Fancy shadow weaves, fascinat
ing bright prints and embroidery!
motifs are cleverly emphasized by
simple styling. Sheer monotones
and self-plaided weaves vie with 1
hard-twisted worsteds for first place
in the tailored scene.
The adaptability of sheer wool
knits is well illustrated in the slim'
short-sleeved frock shown to the left
in the picture. The material for
this dress is a featherweight an
gora knit in pearl gray with distinc
tive two-toned bands in brown and
maize inserted in bolero effect in!
the blouse and edging the sleeves
and skirt hem. The smart shirt
waist closing below a rounded col-,
larless neck is finished with a row,
of composition buttons in maize. A'
deep inverted pleat in the skirt 1
front gives plenty of action freedom.*
As pictured to the right, close knit
wool jersey in chic navy blue makes
stunning and versatile frock for
sports or spectator wear. Cut on
flattering princess lines with a full-,
length front buttoned closing, it is
cool and practical. Sleeves are
full and short and neckline is high.!
Men’s tie silk in gay red, navy and
white tri-color patterning is inter-!
esting trimming. Note how attrao-j
tively it is employed to outline two
large plastron pockets and the
round yoke treatment below a trim
tailored neck. <
A stunning color combination dis
tinguishes the beautifully tailored
dress and redingote ensemble of
sheer wool centered in the group.
Tucked treatment in bold chevron
patterning accents the high-throated
neckline. The dusty rose dress is
topped by a full length redingote in
a light olive green. Double flap hip
pockets and scissor-sharp lapels are
nice details.
© Western Newspaper Union.
IT’S HAND KNIT
Bj CHERIE NICHOLAS
Just imagine the joy, not to for
get the comfort in wearing, any
little girl will find in owning such
a cute peasant hand knit dress as
this. When all other frocks in little
missy’s wardrobe fail, being too
this or that for a practical day,
there just isn’t anything to equal
a dress knit of knit-cro-sheen, as
is the model pictured. Looks not
too dressy but is dressy enough,
washes perfectly and is pretty in
dark colors or in the charming
pastels as you may choose. Doesn’t
take long at all to knit the cunning
model pictured and the yarn costs
very little. Note that it has no belt,
the dress falling in a graceful
princess line from the shoulders,
nrVii/>v> mokoc it v«»rv fitvlish.
SHIRTMAKER FROCKS ,
IN COTTON, LINENS
Summer means shirtmaker
frocks, and this year’s crop of shirt-
makers is smarter and more distin
guished than ever.
Cotton, linen and silk are used
to fashion useful frocks that are
good for most occasions in the sum
mer scene, especially out-of-town.
New and diversified necklines bring
novelty to some of the models.
Smart is a shirtmaker frock with
a collarless neckline marked by
tucking. The tucks continue all the
way down the button-up-the-front
closing. j
The classic frock in striped silk
is always good, as is the model in
pure silk that tubs beautifully. A
grand model is in dotted silk and
has a fly front with enclosed zipper.
Decorative Zippers Now
. Used in Variety of Ways
New jeweled zippers are now be
ing shown in use on women’s wear,
for fastening sweaters, bathing
suits, gloves, hand bags and many;
other purposes. The new zippers
are bound on colored tape and
spaced at frequent intervals with
various colored catalin ornaments
resembling novelty buttons. When
the zipper is closed the catalin orna
ments take the place of buttons.
When opened the ornaments assem
ble at the base of the zipper with
the effect of being in a continuous
piece.
Variety In Hats
Little pillbox hats that attain new
summer heights indicate that the
width of a chapeau is no more cer
tain than the depth of its crown.
No Monotones
Three and four bright colors are
combined for tailored cotton suits,
as well as summer evening gowns.