Plunge For Roosevelt

Last week President William Green solemnly called on the American Federation of Labor to preserve its traditional political nonpartisanship in 1936. President Green's admonition was tardy. Already Labor was plumping for Franklin Roosevelt with an enthusiasm unparalleled since its great plunge for Progressive Robert Marion LaFollette twelve years ago.

Last March President George L. Berry of the Printing Pressmen's Union, whom President Roosevelt made official caretaker of the Blue Eagle's benes, announced the organization of a "NonPartisan League," whose partisan object was to swing Labor's votes to Roosevelt next autumn. Co-organizers of the League were two potent proponents of industrial unionism: John Llewellyn Lewis, whose United Mine Workers had already pledged themselves to Roosevelt, and President Sidney Hillman of Amalgamated Clothing Workers. Their immediate aim was to keep Postmaster General Farley from naming President Daniel Tobin of the A. F. of L.'s Teamsters' Union, a reactionary craft unionist, to be the New Deal's official Labor vote-getter.

In Manhattan fortnight ago President David Dubinsky of the huge Ladies' Garment Workers' Union publicly renounced his membership in the Socialist Party, declared himself for President Roosevelt. Last week the progressive American Federation of Hosiery Workers fell in step with its 60,000 members. Convening in Philadelphia, delegates approved (113-to-47) a resolution that "wage-earners have no other practical alternative than to vote for Franklin D. Roosevelt in the Presidential election."

Sitting down to compose his resignation from the Socialist Party, the Hosiery Workers' President Emil Rieve cried: "Black reaction would grip the country if Roosevelt is not returned to the White House."

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.