No Grudges for New Allies

One of America's three most powerful labor groups, the A.F. of L., this week probably did more to hurt our relations with Soviet Russia than any other single act since June 1941. The Union's high command resolutely refused under any conditions to cooperate with "Totalitarian," Soviet labor. It refused even to meet or have preliminary discussions with representatives from Russia. No greater insult could be leveled against our fighting ally, for among other aims it is the rights of working men for which Russia is bleeding today.

Representatives of British labor pleaded for days, urging an understanding between the A.F. of L. and Soviet workers similar tot hat in the British-Soviet labor entente. But the rulers of the American Federation acted as though it were beneath their dignity to agree to such collaboration.

Soviet Russia does not claim it is a democracy, but it does claim to be our staunch ally in war and in the peace to come. We do not have to condone every institution of the Soviet system any more than they will condone out poll tax laws, or our race discrimination while they have practically none. Both nations have chosen their own system and neither should impair the united struggle against fascism by mocking the other's political faith.

Yet that is exactly what the A.F. of L. convention did this week. It not only snubbed Soviet trade unionism but sowed new seeds of suspicion between two allies that are on the verge of undertaking the most gigantic military operations in history. An American labor movement that clings tenaciously to 19th century unionism and coyly condones 20th century labor gangsterism, making hostages out of thousands of unwary small business men, and virtual economic prisoners of hundreds of thousands of its won trapped members cannot mortally attack dictatorialism in other quarters. The paradox of such an attack and refusal to cooperate with Soviet labor would only be another A.F. of L. skeleton to file and forget were it not for the dangerous international repercussions involved.