Page Four

THE B.C. LUMBER ee

November 15, 1943

Clo Convention Report

unanimous rising vote, expressive of the appreciation and united approval of his leadership.

By NIGEL MORGAN

IWA International Executive Board Member .

CIO's main task, according to the course’ chartered by the 526 official delegates attending the Sixth Annual Convention, is to take the of-
fensive with all its might to help win the war and secure a people’s peace. That was the theme of President Murray's report, adopted by

On the opening day of the convention delegates

were moved to frequent outbursts of applause as he expressed the attitude of the ClO eae the fight of the United Nations for victory:
“We have a deep-rooted conviction permeating our hearts and our souls that this war is really being fought for the universal freedom
of mankind ,and it shall be our high resolve not only during the course of the war but when the war is over to see to it that the lofty objec-
tives of a democratic people who have dedicated their lives toward the attainment of an ultimate victory will bring with it peace and victory
to all the peoples of the world.”
The Convention cheered a cablegram from representatives of the Trade Union Congress of Great Britain announcing that body's decision
to invite the CIO “in its own right” to a world conference of labor ,and heartily demonstrated its approval when President Murray declared:
“When the official invitation reaches us we shall be happy to accept and join with the representatives of other labor movements throughout’
the United Nations in attempting to solve many of the perplexing erable that have grown out of the war.”

Turning to the problem of stabilizing the home front econ-
omy, President Murray declared that “It shall be the definite
duty of this convention to see to it that through intelligent
action some of the abuses from which our people now suffer

will be corrected.”

He recited the support that
the CIO had given President
Roosevelt's stabilization program,
and pointed out that “unfortun-
ately the Congress of America
has-not seen fit to support the
Presidential requirements. It
has fought labor while labor was
Supporting the Commander-in-
Chief. It has fought the policy
of the CIO in its sensible en-
deavor to control inflation. As
the only answer to this danger
ous trend Murray called for a
step-up of political activity to
“bring a 1944 victory for the
forces of progress. ~

He further called upon labor to
take a greater interest in prob-
lems of foreign policy, and on the
home front outlined a program for
wage adjustments, fair taxation and
adequate price control that is to be
taken to the people in the most
extensive political campaign that
labor has yet undertaken. It is to
be a further development of the
constructive—victory without strike
—Policy that has been so well in
effect under his statesmanlike lead-
ership.

“We have religiously maintain-
ed our no-strike pledge,” Mur-

men in the armed forces will be
particularly important at that time.
CIO is well aware of the post-war
problem, his report declared, and
is moving’ to protect the interests
of the men in the armed foreés who
will come back after victory is
achieved. In this connection Mur-
ray pointed to the 1,150,000 CIO
members already in the armed
forces,

Heavy stress was placed by
several speakers, including Presi-
dent Murray, and Vice-president
Haywood on the importance of
expanding the CIO organizational
drive. “The CIO will. continue to
extend organization of the un-
organized into strong industrial
unions that will mobilize the’ na-
tion’s workers into full produc-
tion, Murray said, citing the Auto
Workers, Steelworkers and United
Electrical Workers for special
commendation. Murray also. hailed
progress made by the IWA in
spite of a tremendous manpower
turnover problem, stating our
Union had won 51 out of 65 NLRB
elections during the past year. It
was during this section of his re-
port that he revealed that the
CIO now has a dues-paying mem-

ray told the convention. “We
have given this pledge without
any qualification or conditions.
Labor recognizes that for the
duration of the war there must
not be any strike or stoppage of
work. Each member and each
“leader of organized labor must
make it his responsibility to dis-
charge with scrupulous care this
solemn obligation.“ This,” he
stated, “Furnished the greatest
assurances to organized labor
that the cessation of hostilities
will not find unions completely
at the mercy of those employers
who still yearn to return to the
era of yellow-dog contracts and
the open shop.”

Murray not only stressed the im- |

portance of the no strike policy in
the winning of the war against
fascism ins the shortest possible
time with the least possible loss
of life and resources, but also
pointed to the dividends that are
to come after the day of victory,
when the CIO will face new tests
in connection with the struggle for
a democratic post war world. CIO’s
influence among the American

people, and especially among the

bership of 5,285,000, and warned
that no force in the country can
make a success out of raids against
the CIO. “With the remarkable
increase of 1,135,386 dues paying
members during the past year (in
spite of the loss of the United
Mine Workers of America), our
movement is stronger in every way
than at any time in its history,”
Murray reported. The CIO today
has 40 national, international
unions, and organizing commit-
tees, 386 directly affiliated local
industrial unions and 287 indus-
trial union councils.

Second only in importance to
the President’s annual report, was
that of Sidney Hillman, chairman
of CIO's Political Action Com-
mittee. Hillman in a clear, fight-
ing address outlined the program
for “labor's political arm’ to win
the war and a lasting peace.

“Main purpose of the Com-
mittee,” he told the delegates,
“is to organize all workers, to-
gether with farmers and other
progressive groups, for the elec-
tion of a real victory Congress
in 1944, But it is also looking

Geyond 1944,” he continued,
“and planning for a permanent
political organization of labor.”

“This purpose rules out a
third party at this time,” Hill-
man declared, “not only because
of the impossibility of placing
such a party before the people
in time for 1944, but also be-
cause “a third party would only
serve to divide labor and the
progressive forces.” :

“Broad political unity is the

‘“Farthest Away”
CIO Delegate

= \

NIGEL MORGAN
IWA International Board Member

main weapon of the Commit-
tee,” the Hillman Report said.
“Labor unity on the pdlitical
front will not only mobilize
millions of organized workers
and their families, but will
stimulate and rally broad non-
labor groups as well.”

In some states and communi-
ties a united political organization
of labor was reported already in
existance. Elsewhere the CIO,
AFL and Railroad Brotherhoods
are co-operating for parallel ac-
tion. These developments indicate
that labor unity on the political
front is thoroughly realistic and
practical. An indication of the im-|1
portance the CIO places on the]é
labor representatives and progres-
sive candidates, was the grant of
$700,000 from CIO and its affiliated
international unions voted as an
initial contribution to launch the
campaign.

Main tasks of, CIO's Political

Chairman Hillman and unanim-
ously endorsed by the convention
include:

(1) Immediately to start mobiliz-
ing the full force of the CIO for
Political action both in the local
and statewide elections in the fall
of 1943 and for the crucial na-
tional campaign of 1944. (2) In
each State and in each commun-
ity to secure united political ac-
tion with the AFL and Railway
Brotherhoods, preferably through
united political committees or
through other means of collabor-
ation. (3) To involve in such unit-
ed labor actions the broadest
Possible consumer, farmer and
progressive groups and organiza-
tions. (4) In the 1943 election
and in preparation for 1944 to
weld the unity of all forces who
support the Commander-in-Chief
behind a single progressive win-
-the-war candidate for each office.
And (5) to work toward the for-
mation of a national united labor
league which will include CIO,
AFL, Railway Brotherhood and
unaffiliated labor unions who
agree with our objectives and
weld labor into the mighty politi-
cal force which its numbers,
strength, organizing ability and
program entitle it to be in the
life of our nation.

Problems arising under the new
war-time government agencies
and executive orders affecting
labor were ably presented to the
convention by General Council
Lee Pressman, head of the CIO's
Legal Department. The growth of
CIO legislative activities, as well
as consultation and service given
to CIO unions in appearances be-
fore major governmental agencies,
has greatly expanded the Legal
Department’s work, Pressman said.
A member of the legal staff works
with the Legislative Department,
and during the year the two de-
partments ‘have co-operated close-
ly in drafting legislation, in pre-
senting testimony for CIO wit-

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nesses befor2 various Congress-
ional committees, and in prepar-
ing analysis of pending bills.

Reporting for the CIO’s Public
Relations committee, Len De
Caux, Editor of “The CIO News”
told of his department's efforts _
to cope with misrepresentation
and anti-labor bias through the
press, radio and leaflets, which
have been circulated by the mil-
lions. “Most of labor’s concerns
have become national issues sub-
ject to Congressional action or to
determination by federal _agen-
cies,” he stated. “This fact coupl-
ed with expanded legislative and
Political activity has greatly in-
creased the importance of The
CIO News, as the one CIO publi-
cation which weekly reports and
promotes national CIO policy and
gives the national news affecting
labor directly from Washington.”
The committee recommended re-
newed vigilance in each and every
locality in counteracting anti-
labor propaganda, untrue slanders
and exaggeration of strikes, absen-
teeism and other alleged delin-
quencies of labor designed to put
Jabor in an unfavorable light and
thereby pave the way for anti-
labor legislation.

First of 46 resolutions to be pre-
sented to the convention with the
unanimous support of the resolu-
tions committee, was one which
expressed “appreciation to Philip
Murray for his wholehearted sup-
port. of the Commander-in-Chief,
for the contribution which he has
made to mobilize labor and the
people of America behind the war
effort, or the leadership he has
given in gearing the CIO to work

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