LABOR: Convention Week

At Atlantic City, five years ago, insurgents led by John L. Lewis and Sidney Hillman defied the hierarchy of the American Federation of Labor. Out of that convention sprang the Congress of Industrial Organizations. This week, gathering in the same Atlantic City hotel, C. I. O. itself threatened to split asunder. The opposing leaders of its wrangling factions: John Lewis and Sidney Hillman.

Last week, before the convention opened, they met by chance on the boardwalk. They went to Mr. Hillman’s hotel room, where they talked for over an hour. When they came out they were laughing. Peacemakers took hope. Later Lewis gruffed to newsmen: “From the social standpoint it was enjoyed by each of us.” Neither would admit he had budged an inch from his position, but both declared loudly there would be no breakup of C. I. O.

Delegates shook the bony hand of ancient, long-bearded T. J. Smith of Tennessee, who was attending his 50th labor convention as a representative of the United Mine Workers of America.* They waited for the dramatic moment when John Lewis would make good his promise to resign as C. I. O. president. They speculated on Philip Murray, C. I. O. vice president, as a successor. But they were not prepared for the fireworks that began when the convention opened.

When the broad-shouldered, brooding labor leader took the gavel the galleries roared,”We want Lewis!”Banners were unfurled, confetti and paper streamers poured down, a band played The Stars and Stripes Forever, 100 delegates paraded. Through the 40-minute ovation John Lewis stood watching impassively. He too was being drafted for a third term; in his case, too, the demonstration of organized enthusiasm was overwhelming. When it was over there were tears in John Lewis’ eyes as he said, “I am going to leave you now. I have done my work. In a day or two I’ll be out of this office.”

Then for an hour he talked of the C. I. O.’s accomplishments, its dangers, its future. He warned: “If you consume your time in criticism and vituperation, you won’t have an organization long.” He asked for support for the new head: “A leader, no matter how well qualified for the job, is only an individual because if you don’t give him strength he is nothing.” He said that those who claim the C. I. O. is dominated by Communist or Nazi philosophy lie: “And that goes for Old Lady Green down in New Orleans.” But mostly his speech was emotional, fervent in its testimony of the C. I. O.’s accomplishment, the valedictory of the man who was once the most accomplished orator in the U. S. labor movement and one of the most militant labor leaders in its history.

There was no such excitement in New Orleans at the 60th annual convention of A. F. of L. There the report of the executive council denounced racketeering and William Green’s keynote address urged labor unity, accused John Lewis of having blocked it before. During his speech William Green was told that John Lewis had announced his resignation. Said William Green: “I still maintain that his resignation . . . will mean nothing unless he also resigns from the United Mine Workers.”

*Favorite C. I. O. convention story is that, when Harry Bridges addressed a former convention, he talked on & on of statistics and theory to delegates accustomed to old-fashioned oratory. When he finished at last, Delegate Smith rose solemnly, lifted his long white beard, announced, “Brothers, I was clean-shaven when Harry began to talk.”