Fresh Butter

Last October in Denver, delegates to the American Federation of Labor's 13th convention noticed that a familiar, pudgy figure from Milwaukee was often in the company of familiar, pudgy President William Green and his secretary, Miss Theodora Glenn. Insiders understood that Wisconsin Progressive Lawyer Joseph Padway was buttering up their president, assumed that he hoped to displace shrewd, moderate Charlton Ogburn as general counsel to the Federation.

Last February in Washington, susceptible Mr. Green announced that his friend Mr. Padway thereafter would be General Counsel Padway, would receive an annual retainer whereas Mr. Ogburn had been paid by the case. Ambitious Mr. Padway promptly opened a suite in the building recently vacated by John L. Lewis' United Mine Workers, spent some $3,000 on fixtures, including a huge bronze of the Lion of Lucerne, set out to become a paid legal lion not only for the Federation but for some of its rich affiliates. Since then he has ably represented the Federation before Congressional committees and NLRB, in so doing has aroused the suspicions of some A. F. of L. executive councilmen, who feel that Attorney Padway's appetite for profitable publicity may outgrow the bounds befitting a hired hand.

Last week Mr. Padway enjoyed an excellent chance to butter up the doubters, sell himself to the executive council as a whole. While he tried to do so the council concluded a busy spring session in Washington, took the following actions:

P: Through President Green, who no longer may declare the A.F. of L. position on national affairs without the council's approval, clarified the Federation view of the Wagner Act and NLRB. "There is no sentiment for repeal of the Wagner Act," said Mr. Green. "We believe the measure is sound. . . . But I can say definitely that we feel the Wagner Act has been very badly administered."

P: Chartered the heretofore independent Progressive Mine Workers of America, now largely confined to the Illinois coal fields, as a national rival of the United Mine Workers of America, key union in John L. Lewis' C.I.O. structure; authorized a radio invasion of John L. Lewis' membership via A.F. of L. Station WCFL, Chicago. As an oldtime United Mine Worker Mr. Green bitterly fought, bitterly despised the "dual" Progressives. Having been expelled by U.M.W., ex-Miner Green last week said A.F. of L. would support its new international to the utmost, did not say whether he himself would join.

P: Expelled all but one of the seven C.I.O. unions which retained nominal ties with the Federation. Exception was the potent International Ladies Garment Workers Union, whose peace-minded President David Dubinsky continues to waver between his devotion to C.I.O. industrial-union principles and his opposition to the projected formation of a permanent organization of C.I.O. affiliates. Three weeks ago Attorney Padway, who previously has represented I.L.G.W.U., lunched with Mr. Dubinsky, inspired a reasonable guess that no small part of the general counsel's duties in the near future will be to woo the waverer, invite him and the union back into A.F. of L.

P: Seized upon the coincidence that the Chamber of Commerce of the U. S. was meeting in Washington, issued this statement: "The A.F. of L. is committed to the principle of private ownership, private initiative and the protection of private property. The right to own and manage private property must be conceded and safeguarded. Working people must be accorded the right to organize and bargain collectively. . . . Labor and capital can cooperate. . . " Thus the cagey councilmen affirmed a co-operative policy whereby A.F. of L. already had diddled C.I.O. out of many a bargaining contract, has also caused NLRB to declare in several cases that Federation-employer cooperation was in fact collusion intended to discourage workers' affiliations with more militant C.I.O. unions.

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