THE NOME NUGGET
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MEMBER OF ASSOCIATED PRESS
C.I.O. EXPECTS LEWIS
HEAD NEW MOVEMENT
FINAL BREAK BETWEEN THE FOUNDER AND
PRESENT LEADERS IS BELIEVED NEAR
DETROIT — Relations between John L. Lewis and
the Congress of Industrial Organizations steadily grow
more strained and union leaders are beginning to feel
that it is only a matter of weeks before Mr. Lewis will
part company with the organization he did so much to
build.
The resignation this week of Ray Edmundson, one
of Mr. Lewis's most trusted lieutenants, as C. I. O.
regional director for Illinois, and the withdrawal of
other Lewis men from the C. 1. O.'s Illinois directorate,
were the latest in a long series of incidents which in
dicated that the president of the United Mine Workers
was preparing to go his own way. That such a decision
would not be unwelcome to large sections of the C. I. O.
leadership was manifest from the denunciations of Mr.
Lewis which marked the special meeting of the inter
national executive board of the United Auto Workers
in Cleveland a week ago.
Basis of Dispute
The U. A. W. leaders’ criticism of Mr. Lewis were
based on their belief that he was seeking to take ad
vantage of the necessity for wartime sacrifices to re
establish the power he lost as a result of his persistent
hostility to President Roosevelt, his refusal to support
any of the national defense program before the Japan
ese assault on Pearl Harbor and his undisguised resent
ment of the independent course followed by Phillip
Murray, president of the C. I. O.. on political and for
eign affairs.
Specifically, the auto unionists charged that Mr.
Lewis was seeking to split the ranks of the Roosavelt
Murray supporters and to undermine the war effort by
stirring up rank-and-file discontent with the decision
of the C. I. O. executive board to go along with Donald
M. Nelson’s appeal for renunciation of double pay for
Sunday and holiday work within the basic forty-hour
work week.
these accusations were a reflection of the distrust
created m C. I. O circles by Mr. Lewis's recent at
tempts to enroll everything from pin-boys in bowling
alleys to dairy farmers and dishwashers in the “by
products' division of the United Mine Workers and in
the United Construction Workers, headed by his bro
ther, Denny.
The leaders of a dozen unions have complained to
C. I. O. headquarters that the Lewis forces have tried
to take over established locals through the medium of
“raids’Vm their membership or through efforts to “buy
up” their officers with promises of more lucrative jobs
cm the Lewis payroll.
May "Take a Walk”
Out of these complaints has come a widespread con
viction among C. I. O. leaders that Mr. Lewis is laying
the foundation for a third labor movement under his
full personal domination.
Among the factors that have strengthened the im
pression that Mr. Lewis plans to ‘‘take a walk*' are
the steadily diminishing use of the C. I. O. initials in
the collective bargaining contracts of the two Lewis
v ntrolled unions and the elimination from their staffs
: rganizers who claimed that they had fallen into dis
tavor through support t { the Roosevelt-Murray war
program.
Recently the United Mine Workers cast a bomb into
the 0 I. O, councils by announcing that it expected to
be repaid $1,665,000 advanced as organizing subsidies
:n the early years of the C. I. O. To make sure that it
g t something on account, the mine union withheld
its per capita due> payments of $60,000 for March and
April.
Silent on Plans
Mr. Lewis is not doing any talking about his future
<. urse. At a recent press conference in Washington he
side-stepped all questions intended to elicit Iris atti
tude toward setting up a third labor movement. His
aides have been equally uncommunicative on this point,
but they have been quick to repudiate slurs on Mr.
Lewis's patriotism.
They assert that no union has a better record than
the United Mine Workers in buying war bonds, send
ing its members into the armed forces and avoiding
strikes that would impede the production of munitions.
In fact they claim for Mr. Lewis the principal re
sponsibility for ratification of the no-strike agreement
tb.it emerged from the President’s industry-labor con
ference soon alter Pearl Harbor.
H. S. Takes Over Final Ship Control
OWNERS, ACTING AS AGENTS, WILL BE PAID
FOR ALL COSTS LESS DEPRECIATION EXPENSE
WASHINGTON — The War Shipping Administra
tion has requisitioned possession and use of all essential
: oceangoing tankers and dry cargo vessels owned by
American citizens. Rear Admiral Emory S. Land, War
Shipping Administrator, put the number which will
be acquired under the order at “several hundred” in
announcing the action.
The move was regarded as a means of putting con
trol of this shipping and its operations under a single
head to simplify the enforcement of government re
commendations designed to lessen sinkings by sub
marines off the Atlantic coast. It was pointed out that
the War Shipping Administration now could direct ev
ery aspect of the use of these vessels, including their
routes and cargoes, whether they should put into ports
at night to avoid submarines and similar details, with
out the necessity of negotiating with private operators.
A more economical use of the vessels also was foreseen.
Already Control Most Sfiips
Admiral Land noted that the use of or title to about
75 percent of the country's freighter tonnage already
has been acquired by the government through pur
chase, charter or requisition. Today’s action would
complete this process, he added, by bringing all remain
ing dry cargo or tanker vessels in seagoing service un
der direct government control.
The action was taken under the Merchant Marine
Act of 1936, which contains this authorization: “When
ever the President shall proclaim that the security
of the national defense makes it advisable, or during
any national emergency declared by proclamation of
the President, it shall be lawful for the Maritime Com
mission to requisition or purchase any vessel or other
water craft owned by citizens of the United States or
under construction within the United States.”
Under the order the owners of the vessels will be
come in effect agents of the War Shipping Administra
tion. which was created recently by President Roose
velt to take over the Maritime Commission's duties in
directing operations of the merchant marine for the
duration.
The Merchant Marine Act requires that the private
owners of the requisitioned vessels must be paid for all
costs, “less ordinary wear and tear” which results
from the government’s use of the ships.
Text of the Announcement
The official announcement read as follows:
“Admiral Emory S. Land. Administrator of the War
Shipping Administration, announced today that the
War Shipping Administration has requisitioned pos
session and use of all essential ocean-going tankers and
dry-cargo vessels owned by American citizens which
are subject to requisition under the Merchant Marine
Act, 1936, as amended, and have not been previously
acquired by the government.
“Such requisitions will become effective as of the
time possession is taken by the government. This
action affects several hundred vessels.
“Admiral Land pointed out that the use of, or title
to, approximately 75 percent of the freighter tonnage
of the United States has already been taken over by
the government through purchase, charter or requisi
tion. The step taken today would bring all remaining
dry-cargo vessels and tankers under the direct control
of the government.”
rtis enemies contend, however, that there has been
no fundamental change in Mr. Lewis’s viewpoint since
we entered the war, and that his attitude toward Presi
dent Roosevelt is still a dominant element in his think
ing. It is this hatred, the anti-Lewis forces say, that;
has made Mr. Lewis so bitter toward Mr. Murray, for
thirty years his friend and associate.
There is no longer any semblance of amity between
the two men. even though Mr. Murray’s only salaried
job is his $18.000-a-year post as vice president of the
United Mine Workers. Next month the Steel Workers’
Organizing Committee, of which Mr. Murray is chair-i
man, will hold a convention and transform itself into'
a full-fledged international union. It is virtually cer
tain that Mr. Murray will be offered the presidency, j
a post that would made him economically independent
of Mr. Lewis.
Murray’s Position
.As C. I. O. president, Mr. Murray has made it plain
that he will not allow Mr. Lewis to rule the organiza
tion or dictate its policies. He has condemned jurisdic
tional raiding and strong-arm tactics, but up to now ho
has not precipitated an open break by issuing orders;
that would put a stop to Mr. Lewis's jurisdictional i
ramblings.
On the basis of present alignments Mr. Murray will
have all C. I. O. factions except the two Lewis “fam
ily’ unions in his corner when the showdown comes*.
No one is much concerned about what happens to the ;
United Construction Workers, a relatively small and
heterogeneous group, but there will be a real struggle'
over the direction of the United Mine Workers.
No one knows how long it will be before the (lamesI
■•f conflict reach the surface. For the moment peace ex*
'-Sts within the C. I. O., but it is a peace as unstable as;
that which preceded the Nazi invasion of Poland
I
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5TORY UNTOLD-MuI* tvidenro of the loss of the A1"*''
losn tanker K, ||. Blum which was either torpedoed or hit a m
in the Atlantic about Feb. 15 la thl# box, lately washed up “*■* f
VlrjInU Beach The stsable tanker was of 11.615 ITOM