AMERICAN LABOUR

Evening Star, Issue 22195, 25 November 1935, Page 11

AMERICAN LABOUR

DIVISION IN THE RANKS RIVAL LEADERS Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright WASHINGTON, November 23.. (Received November 25, at 1 a.m.) . A long, smouldering feud within the ranks : of the American Federation of Labour came to a head to-day as Mr John Lewis (president of the powerful Coal Miners’ Union) sent a curt letter resigning the vice-presidency of the federation to Mr Green. The terms of the controversy between the two hinged on Conservative and Radical policies. Mr Green upholding the traditional non-partisan straight trade unionism, and Mr Lewis wishing to organise the workers in the mass production of industries, such as the automobile industry, into great industrial unions. At a recent American Federation of Labour convention, Mr Lewis castigated Mr Green and his associates for failure to organise more than 4,000,000 of the nation’s 25 or more million workers. Incidently, Mr Lewis, while renouncing Communism, -objected _to Mr Green’s policy completely purging the federation of such elements. Mr Green’s policies were generally supported by the convention delegates, and apparently, feeling that he was in a strong position, he subsequently bitterly attacked Mr Lewis. In the face of this attack Mr Lewis resigned. For the present the miners will retain their membership of the federation, but it is predicted that Mr Lewis will eventually attempt to form a national organisation in opposition to the American Federation of Labour, which would inevitably lead to a long period of strife within the ranks of American Labour,