R. J. Tnomos Libels Organized labor
STOUT, JONATHAN
R. J. Tnomos Libels Organized labor By JONATHAN STOUT WASHINGTON, D. C. R. J. Thorn.*, ii would ¦jnt' *•«¦ fWW * Washington survey, did himself no good in responsible CIO circles, or With devoted...
...Maintenance of present price levels —21...
...In fact, it ia very likely to katpetr between the time ibis is being written and the {hp* you read it...
...R. J. Tnomos Libels Organized labor By JONATHAN STOUT WASHINGTON, D. C. R. J. Thorn.*, ii would ¦jnt' *•«¦ fWW * Washington survey, did himself no good in responsible CIO circles, or With devoted friend* of the labor movement, by hit attack on David Dubinsky and the International Ladies Car-stent Worker* Union, AFL, because the latter went [¦•selfishly to the aniatance of the sorely-pressed (Jaarrsl Motor* strikers of the United Automobile Workers I nion...
...This schema, If applied to Iran, would mean that the sovereignty of Iran over its northern provinces will be recognized and confirmed by Moscow—on nlzed and onfirmed by Moscow—oa paper...
...In befouling this fine act of brotherhood of workers, R. J. Thomas has befouled himself...
...again Stalin goea hia own way despite the world'* opinion...
...and again all attempts to stop him are futile...
...Mainte(nance of present "pries levels-4...
...they will entangle you in great difficulties, and then let you down...
...Price controls suspended—6...
...Price controls suspended—2...
...This rosy view.however does not reflect the true stale of affairs...
...This was known even before the, tWnments recently revealed fell into American hands...
...Two of the members of tha United Lsbor Committee were James B. Carey, secretary-treasurer of the CIO, and Allan Haywood, CIO national director of ¦ organisation...
...And an editorial in the Washington Star makes it tthat Thomas has injured the whole labor move-Said the Star on Tueaday: .lie so-called reactionary press is frequently de-fjMaiced by certain labor spokesmen for undertaking 1 |a>^riti< ise the activities of some union leaders...
...Also, there seems little doubt that Thomas will be hearing about that from ipManttal CIO quarters...
...Again Soviet Russia ia adamant...
...There ia no indication that the Soviet Government has really changed its aim* and policies in Iran...
...war or peace...
...There was a giant mass rally in Manhattan Center — at which Dubinsky and other AFL leaders appeared on the platform with Reuther and other CIO leaders in a public demonstration of labor solidarity—for the purpose of winning public support for the beleaguered General Motors strikers...
...The LjMMKie of the complaints of these spokesmen is that pit press, for purelv sellish reasons, is merely trying te discredit the union officials, and that, furthermore, Jjiare is not a word of truth in their criticisms...
...The North will be controlled from Moscow through the friendly services of the Tudeh Party in Azerbaidjan...
...The new league, called UNO, emerged univeraal and powerful, with the United Statea and the USSR among its members...
...Exactly five years ago, the control of Iran—at least of its northern part-was an important point in Soviet-German negotiations...
...Soviet civilians will of course be present by the thousands, and Soviet military men will instruct the new army of Azerbaidjan...
...This case is covered by the mysterious words of Gromyko: "Unless unforeseen circumstances arise.' However, this is a most unlikely development...
...it excluded Russia from membership, after Japan, Germany, and Italy had left the League...
...And the UNO is being degraded to a powerless, confused body torn between indignation and appeasement...
...Ghavam, any real and forceful assistance on the part of the British and Americans...
...There was little, financial help the General Motors strikers could expect from tha CIO, with two other strikes to support...
...Reuther, 'the man *h# says that is a liar...
...Nevertheless the Soviet Government haa been the only real power in this province, formally Cbineaa OBtfl' 1n& Chlna'a" sovereignty aver Mongolia waa confirmed by treaties, yet no Chinese troops were admitted into Mongolia...
...The Security Council had the courage to hear Iran's case despite the arrogant attitude of the Soviet delegate...
...This is what they announced: Price decreases—1...
...To the appeal of this United Labor Committee, Dubinsky responded in tha generous manner which has become synonymous with the ILGWU wherever the csuse of workers and their struggles for a better life is involved...
...There was more to it than the giving of money...
...Little is known about the conversations between Premier Ghavam and tho Soviet leaders in Moscow...
...A historical UNO, a historical session, historical speeches...
...former officials were dismissed, and—last but not least—the police of Azerbaidjan was reorganized...
...Reuther, is 'a Con emptihle lie.' Mr...
...The Yomittti in Tokyo confirmed the news about a proposed Soviet-German "defense of Iran...
...Soviet troops have partly evacusted Iran...
...Hs proved more secure in his past than the premiers of the Teheran government, whs have succeeded one another every few montha...
...THE first week of a UNO session in America should provide the proper background for a eulogy of the world'a achievements, of the progress made by our generation...
...Actually Mongolia waa and is one of the provinces of the Soviet Union...
...A month later Russia was Invaded by German troops...
...The NKVD (recently renamed M VI)) ia actually in control of developments...
...It may not be necessary for Moscow to keep uniformed troppa in Azerbaidjan...
...Thomas, asserting that the General Motors fWke was needlessly prolonged, says that Mr...
...The other powera are not prepared for the serious action that would really impress Stalin...
...Did R. J. Thomas imply that Carey and Haywood were therefore part of a plot by Dubinsky to snare the auto workers into the AFL...
...fom all this it would appear that R. J. Thomas Ibis achieved a remarkable combination of rather ugly-|tojj*"t ingratitude, adding fuel to the fires of CIO-I **1 hostilit ship of the UAW, and disgracing the whole lsbor movement in the eyes of the general public...
...New price controls established—8...
...Were Russia in need of oil, an international solution for the division of Iranian oil would be comparatively easy to find, ss it was found in the early twenties in regard to Iraqi oil...
...Pashs-vari became Premier of the new stats of Azerbaidjan...
...At that juncture, under CIO leadership, a United Labor Committee was formed to raise financial support for the hungry families of the suto strikers...
...In the mesnwhile the pro-Soviet transformation of Azerbaidjan has progressed fsr...
...Here was in action the "unity" which gets a lot of lip-service, particularly from the Communist supporters of R. J. Thomas, but gets little performance...
...Reuther says that is part •t the Communist line, and the 'moat fantastic, con-¦¦dptible piece of forgery brought in yet.' Mr...
...In April, 1941, the Japanese N'uhi Nishi revealed the Soviet demands concerning the occupation of Northern Iran...
...When the General Motors strikers were walking their picket lines, there were concurrently two other big CIO strikes— that of the steel workera and the electrical and radio workera...
...General explanatory—19, Recapitulation of weekly totals for the past five weeks: Price decreases—2...
...The pitiful failures of the old league of Nations would then be compared with the proud and universal structure of the new organization and symptomatically the fact would be emphasized that the peace of the world waa anchored aa soon a* the association of free nations found its home in the United Stales...
...Whatever problem is discussed today—whether atomic energy.or the marvels of radar and aviation, or the miraculous achievements of chemistry...
...head of an AFL union, is Irving to "leapture' the UAW...
...ax Seora far Skeptics FoRTY-FIVE press releaaes Issued by OPA were' received this week by the Washington Bureau of The New Leader...
...But . This damned "but...
...There were few Soviet troops in Outer Mongolia, except in wartime...
...That, savs Mr...
...The Turkish Yeni Sabah reported the imminent "division of spoils between Russia and Germany, with Iran falling to Russia...
...e • ? * Whether an agreement between Moscow and Teheran does exist or not, whether it is oral or written, snd whatever its contents, the real plan of the Soviet Government concerning Iran Is in all probability a "Mongolian solution" of the problem...
...The answer to this was given by David Dubinsky when a meeting of the General Executive Board of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union passed a resolution announcing public sympathy with the cause of the General Motors strikers...
...The economy, not only oil, but everything elae, will be tied up with the economy of Russia...
...Not oil, but Iran itself is the goal —at least its richer parts, the Northern provinces of Gilan and Aserbaidjan - -meaning the "Fiery Land" — adjoining the Soviet Caucasus...
...The members of the pro-Soviet Tudeh Party were armed and now constitute the only real force in the province...
...Its efforts to atop that war proved futile...
...It is worth noting, however, for the sake of the record if for no other reason, that the thinga the newspapers say •bent labor leaders are almost complimentary when fssapared to the things some labor officials aay about each other when there is a union election in the offing...
...TrlE facts in the case are rather interesting in themselves, and pertinent at the moment...
...Price increases— 64...
...Reuther ityt other UAW ofceisIs in the dark when he called toe strike...
...The only case in which the Red Army would return to Iran would be s military operation on the part of the great powers in ,defense of Iran's integrity...
...Thomas 'knows there's not a word •f truth in this Communistic smear which he is parrot-i tog.' Mr...
...Thomas ssys that Mr...
...nor are they a minor point on the Soviet program...
...Between Indignation and Appeasement By David /. Dallin Associate Editor of Thr New LesDKR, author of "The Big Three," "The Real .Soviet Russia," etc...
...Russia'a real acqui-sit ions were even greater than the: a. teas assigned by the Stalin-Hitler agreements...
...Attaboy, Chester, hold that line...
...economics or politics—the acid of poisonous uncertainty corrodes the universal satisfaction and faith, eata into the very foundations of the great new international institutions and makes doubtful their historical significance...
...The first great problem on its agenda, however, is the continuation of the League's discussion of December 1939: Russia'a aggression against a neighbor...
...The whole territorial sphere, from the Arctic to the Black Sea, conceded by Hitler to the Soviet Union, waa subsequently won by Stalin** Government in coalition with the democracies...
...you had better conclude an agreement with us...
...Again, according to Mr...
...And th» things they I are saying about each other are enough to put the Vpsoat extreme anti-labor newspaper editor in the "country to shame...
...In November, 1*46, a petitieal upheaval engineered by Soviet authoritiea took place In Tabriz...
...Seen from Teheran, the great powers are indeed of little help...
...If this was what Stalin told Ghavam, it must have proved convincing...
...Price controls newly established—9...
...This will constitute an important point in the agreement which must be concluded between Teheran Snd Moscow...
...But this positive step forward may be followed by a diplomatic retreat to keep the USSR in the UNO...
...These aim* are no sudden whim of Soviet leaders...
...Gromyko has walked out of the UNO sessions at which the Iranian conflict was discussed...
...I There seems little doubt that Thomas in his com* jpletety self-centered arlxiely to retain the presidency 'of the UAW has gone too far...
...It was dis<nssed between Mololov and Hitler when the Peuplet Lommisaar (now Minister i secretly visited Berlin in May, 1941, to negotiate a new agreement and to avert imminent war...
...It was an expression of the solidarity of American labor under major attack by Big Business...
...Mongolia's economy, especially meat and hides, was a component part of the planned Soviet economy...
...It casts its dark ahadow upon every achievement, every atep forward, and every hope...
...Reuther, if elected, Would try to lead the UAW into the AFL...
...As soon as Hitler's defeat became a certainty, old schemes and plans were revived, and no effort spared to resch the projected goal in Iran...
...Tha administration has been in the hands of the Communist Party, which terms Itself the "People's Revo-lutionay Party of Mongolia" (analogous to the Tudeh Party lav Iran), whose delegates have participated in the con-greases of the Communist International in Moscow...
...It was tried out and tested in Northern China for two decades and was found successful from the point of view of Soviet expansion...
...Then the League itself died...
...Note to Chester Bowles...
...Four montha have passed since these events begsn...
...Six yeara and three months ago, the League of Na-tiona held its last seaaion to discuss Soviet Russia's war on Finland...
...The Soviet Government indicate* its decision to withdraw completely in agreement with Teheran, and many consider this a great victory for the uno, especially for the new "lough" polity of the United Statea and Britain...
...But Soviet Russia haa not walked out of Iran, or Manchuria, even if Red Army troops are being withdrawn...
...the governor of Maragsb was killed...
...Iran » the only remaining neighbor of the Soviet Union where, so far, the Soviet Union has failed to achieve any final territorial gains, oil concessions, and a pro-Soviet regime...
...Price increases—18...
...It is certsin, however, that, besides concrete demands presented to him, the Soviets were able to "persuade" him by strong arguments: "Do not expect, Mr...
...Thousands of "tourists" arrived from the Soviet Union...
...Dub "sky says that Mr...
...It is naive, even, ridiculous, to suppose that the Soviet Government haa aow, impressed by protests from the United Nations, suddenly turned back, has undone the grant changes achieved la Northern Iran snd Is going to re-tarn the annexed territory to the govern meat of Teheran...
...The amount of the response ran into hundreds of thousands of dollars—as a gift without strings—from American workers who had it to American workers who needed it...
...And so long as their help is scant, opposition to Moscow means dissster...
...At first the Soviet Government acted under the cover of oil interests...
...A new "autonomous" government was crested...
...Thomas says pM David Dubinsky...
...g As one CIO leader said, "It wait the basest act of |ajgralittide I've ever seen...
...The consolidation of the region and its alliance with the Soviet Union have reached a degree of success...
...But it isn't oil that Motcow is after in Iranian Azerbaidjan...
...The moat recent example of thia is to be found in j the 'exchange of pleasantries between R. J. Thomas, PjkMsUent, and Walter Reuther, vice-president, of the I United Automobile Workers...
...l, "Mr...
...At the time of Truman's Labor-Management Conference in Washington, representatives of the motor industry were busily spreading the line as bait for tha AFL that "wouldn't it be nice if an automobile strike would break the back of the UAW, because then the motor magnates would be so happy to welcome the AFL back into the industry on an exclusive basis...
Vol. 29 • March 1946 • No. 13
