Paul Sweezy Sees Green Ally Of Worst Opponents of Labor

"William Green and the A. F. of L. leaders are cutting off their own noses to spite their faces by allying themselves with our worst enemies, as represented by the American Manufacturers Association, in the present A. F. of L. C. I. O. squabble," Paul M. Sweezy '31, instructor in Economics, said in an interview yesterday.

Green's opposition to the astonishing success of the C. I. O. invasion of mass production industries can be explained by two things, he said: one, he is too far removed from the point of view of rank and file labor; two, he is conditioned by his income, which puts him in the upper middle class bracket.

Lewis is Sincere

Although C. I. O. head John L. Lewis is technically in the same category, "I believe he is a fundamentally honest and sincere man," Sweezy said.

The Roosevelt administration, which Sweezy sees as in effect a popular front government, with the workingman as its chief backer, is seriously concerned over the divided house of labor. If the fight runs into the 1940 campaign, the A. F. L. may force a split in the Democratic party by allying itself with conservative Democrats in opposition to the C. I. O.

No Reconciliation Near

Sweezy sees little chance of reconciliation in the near future, despite Roosevelt's plea for labor unity.

"I don't know whether or not it will be revised, but there will be a big fight over the Wagner Act in the coming Congressional session," Sweezy predicted. Although the A. F. of L. will fight for removal of the power to determine the collective bargaining unit from the hands of the Labor Relations Board, the economics instructor said, "In all cases I have studied, the Board picked the bargaining unit with the utmost fairness, showing no favoritism to the C. I. O."