No Seats for Reds

There were two conventions of union teachers in Detroit last week. In the Statler met 315 delegates of the American Federation of Teachers, A.F. of L. Across the street, in the Tuller Hotel, met 131 would-be delegates, representing three locals (in New York City and Philadelphia) recently expelled by Federation referendum on charges of Communist coloration (TIME, June 16).

The official convention was for aid to Britain and Russia, applauded a message from President Roosevelt calling on teachers to "do their full share in the struggle to preserve democracy. . . ." The other gathering heartily seconded these motions, displayed a big red V seven feet high. The two groups agreed on everything except one point: a proposal by the leftists to bury the hatchet. The Federation was not to be appeased.

Pending in U.S. courts was a suit by the Philadelphia local challenging its ouster as contrary to the Federation's constitution. But the ousted groups arrived in Detroit in a conciliatory mood, prepared to eat large quantities of crow. They offered to drop their suit, promised to wrangle no more. Federationists overwhelmingly refused to seat them, cheered tumultuously when President George S. Counts cried: "We are extremely fortunate at this juncture that we have had the courage to do a job that should have been done years ago. ... If Stalin should make peace with Hitler tomorrow, as he might, the 'line' would change again. . . . The American Federation of Teachers . . . cannot tolerate the organized influence of the Communist Party within its ranks."

The convention proceeded to seat new locals (whose members must disavow Communism before admission) in place of the ousted ones. Number of members in the new locals: 1,500. Ousted: 8,000. The Federation also re-elected President Counts and its anti-Stalinist executive council. Said Dr. Counts: "The revocation of the charters ... has cleared the way for positive and constructive work."

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