YOU CAN'T WIN WALTER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000400550026-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 8, 1999
• Sequence Number: 26
• Publication Date: June 14, 1966
• Content Type: NSPR

,11N I1 1966
o~ F,pr Release-:--GIA-RDP75-00
'Vnfl r.n
CPYRGHT
Saniti
DAILY, NEWS
Srrlnna:4lnward ShH Wrltlr
seems to have an instinct for rI
t own jugular.
posswly was running an errauu
for President Johnson?
k known, the Johnson'
The auto union leader
periodically engages : the AFL'
CIO ' president in ? battles 'he
cannot win-...and which his
;.strongest supporters sadly wish
he had never begun. The issues
almost always are short-lived
`sand the odds a g a I n s t. Mr.
Reuther overwhelming. He has
that it was inconsistent with
United States foreign policy.
Mr. Meany did not budge,
possibly because the decision to
boycott the conference was not'
his in the first place. But once
it was made, he went -along.
Copies of Mr. Reuther's letter
were sent to President Johnson
an unbroken record of defeat. ' and other Interested members
After several years of not
burning his bridges behind him,
,Mr. Reuther again has taken on
Mr. Meany. As usual, Mr.
1Meany, an astute and
formidable adversary trained in
of his Cabinet. It was, almost as
If Mr. Reuther was saying to
r.the President: " M i s s i o n
completed."
OBJECTIVE .
Other observers suggest the
President may have had a
v
p
,
deeper, more complex objective.
and prepared his counter=;.,
offensive. The battle , will be They point out that labor is.
.fought on his terms and on his Irritatdd over its., lack of
:present 'Congress and
threatening to stay home- next.
election day. These observers
speculate that a rousing. internal
fight in the AFL-CIO leadership-,
might take labor's minds off its
legislative defeats and the Idea
of political reprisals.
Another explanation: The
letter more closely expresses-
the view of Mr. . Reuther's
lu?tjier Victor, his or 1 n
policy adviser. This theor, ry is s
based' on tie fact that Victor
Reuther rec~ nti~% ata 6ackee~.r..
can and his foreign affairs
expert, JayZovesutone as b'etltg
nuxwi i
Once again the ' issue is
narrow. Mr. Reuther objects to
the American labor delegation's
boycott ' of -the International
.Labor Organization conference'
in Geneva. Last: week, he'fired'
[off . an angry ` letter to Mr.
I. Meany calling the walkout' "un-
..wise, undemocratic, contrary
to established. AFL=CIO policy
'AFL
th
i
d b
d
y any
an
unau
or
ze
010 body. . The letter lectured Mr. Meany'
on his approach to the question
dealing with communists, and
;,regard Mr. Reuther's words as
.all attack on his ieader~llip.
That is bow he will pose the
issue to 'a special meeting of the
AFL-CIO 29-man 'executive
council here Thursday, ' It. w o u I d be surprising if
If it comes to a vote, Mr. efforts are not being made to
Meany's victory Is . assured. head off a, showdown vote. Mr.
Whatever happens, Mr. Reuther Moany may be angry `enough to
has lost face and ground In his insist on one: Mr. Reuther's
determined effort to succeed supporters will want to know
Mr. Meany in labor's top post. precisely what the issue is, and
POLITICAL . ? some of them will be reluctant
But Mr. Reuther is a political to take a' stand against' Mr,
too. And it ma be that Mean on a dispute which'
Animal
,
d -`ApplaovecuFois . I*alse 1AwR@P*t-001~'R0004
explanation. Some, observers are concern- to them and their mew:
wondering whether Mr. Reuther ' bees. - ' ' .
otes
olitics
has counted 'his
'Jii r ec with the---Central
Intelllience Agency WTien IITr. ?i
Meany as 'e alter Reu Ter n'
for an eana one fie sec
assiirances th =at Victor Reuther
0550026-3
 enced" reportiinngl oZ"headlinp"typeGVoveragee.. ee comSe' ' -, c Gov-
"
! incd that it was very unsporting to use that kind of pic-
ture just when the government was trying to calm the Amer-
ican public about the civil warring in Vietnam.
It is this kind of response that prompted Charles Roberts,
for twelve years a White House correspondent for News-
week, to comment at a recent University of Wisconsin sym-
posium that "apparently the President feels we should print
the news just as he dictates it, without any explanation, in-
terpretation, background, or 'speculation.' . . . It is hard,
sometimes impossible, to get a straight, substantive, re-
sponsive answer out of him. . . . The President's purpose
in holding press conferences seems to be to dominate and
even intimidate the press rather than to tell reporters what
he is really thinking."
CIA-AFL-CIO
For several years there have been rumblings of dissen-
sion in the labor movement over the activities of Jay Love-
stone, the AFL-CIO international affairs director and one
of George Meany's closest coadjutors. In the February 10,
1964, Nation, Stanley Meister ("Meddling in Latin Amer-
ica: Dubious Role of AFL-CIO") referred to the antago-
nism between Lovestone and Walter Reuther and his brother
Victor, president and international affairs head respec-
tively, of the United Auto Workers. The dispute involved
the American Institute for Free Labor Development
(AIFLD) defined by Meister as "an enterprise run by the
AFL-CIO, partly with its own funds but principally with
money made available by the Alliance for Progress and
private enterprise." The ostensible purpose of the AIFLD
was to train Latin American labor leaders and to build a
strong anti-Communist labor movement in Latin America.
To this end, U.S. agencies were engaged at that time in
efforts to unseat the leftist-leaning Premier Cheddi Jagan
of British Guiana and to replace him with Forbes Burnham,
now head of the newly independent Guyana. One of the
steps in this operation was a bloody general strike waged
against Jagan by the British Guiana Trade Union Council.
In a letter to The New York Times, Jagan charged that
"local trade unionists known to be hostile to my govern-
ment-and none others-have been trained by the Amer-
ican Institute for Free Labor Development to over-
throw my government." Meister saw in the attacks on Jagan
the imprint of Lovestone, a rabid anti-Communist since his
ouster as leader of the Communist Party USA in the twen-
ties. The Times, after noting the Reuther brothers' criticism
of Lovestone's close relations with George Meany, president
of the AIFLD as well as the AFL-CIO, commented that "to
his enemies, Mr. Lovestone is a sinister figure, who, they
say, has soured the relationships between the AFL-CIO and
other free world trade unions by unnecessary intrigue and
bitter feuding."
British Guiana was only one focus of AFL-CIO anti-
Communist activity in Latin America and elsewhere. Since
the Central Intelligence Agency was engaged in similar
endeavors abroad, one could hardly help speculating on the
possibility that there was not merely parallelism but liaison
between the Communist-fighters of the two organizations.
Snniti7prl - Annrnviprl Fnr Rplpacp
CPYRGHT
ernment really want the AFL-CIO to serve as a junior CIA?
No proof could be cited at that time, but at the recent UAW
convention in Long Beach, Calif., covered by Harry Bern-
stein for the Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post
(May 23), Victor Reuther charged that the AFL-CIO is
"involved with the CIA in the political affairs of foreign
countries and particularly their trade union movements, and
that these intrusions are either entirely secret or only par-
tially reported to the AFL-CIO executive committee.
Reuther cited a recent case in which A. Paulson, general
secretary of the International Food and Drink Workers
Federation, with headquarters in Geneva, found it necessary
to abolish the Panama office of the federation because of
the presence there of eight individuals who were said to be
"posing as official representatives" but of whom he had no
knowledge. Reuther said this "seems to be one most recent
example of CIA activities." A spokesman for the AFL-CIO
denied that the AIFLD had any connection with the CIA.
He also denied that Lovestone had had anything to do with
setting up the AIFLD-which is not the same as saying that
he never had anything to do with its operations.
Despite the denial, Victor Reuther continues to take a
dim view of Lovestone. "The tragedy of the AFL-CIO ac-
tivities in the field of foreign affairs," he says, "is that they
are a vest-pocket operation by Jay Lovestone. . . . Mr.
Lovestone seems to have brought into the labor movement
the working habits and undercover techniques which he
learned when he was in the highest echelons of the Com-
munist Party." Which, come to think of it, sounds very
much like the working habits and techniques of the CIA
itself.
Slight Thaw
Some glimmerings of sense are beginning to appear in the
American policy toward Communist China-perhaps to be
followed, on some distant tomorrow, by reciprocal mani-
festations on the part of the Chinese. The Johnson Admini-
stration, however, cannot be credited with taking the ini-
tiative in withdrawing from the John Foster Dulles position
that Red China was only a passing pestilence which Dr.
Dulles himself would help to eradicate. The fact is that the
Administration has been impelled toward realism by Sena-
tors Edward and Robert Kennedy, George McGovern, J. W.
Fulbright and Rep. Henry Reuss, and by a general feeling
around the country that it was about time to cease cowering
before the China Lobby and the ghost of Joe McCarthy.
This change we owe also to George Kerman, John K. Fair-
bank and the other experts who testified before the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee. The fact that in 1965 the
vote for admitting Red China to the UN was a 47-to-47
tie, with twenty abstentions, no doubt helped.
In his speech of May 3, Edward Kennedy suggested as
an immediately feasible measure the appointment of a
"blue-ribbon commission of distinguished men to make,
publicly, recommendations for new directions in our China
policy." In submitting this proposal Senator Kennedy la-
mented the fact that outstanding scholars and public serv-
ants were persecuted during the 1950s for what had hap-
THE NATION / June 13, 1966
(IA_RfP7-s;_flflldSPflflflAnn-s;-S;lf17R_%
 AND TIMES HERALD
ST TI T JUN 1 966
nitizecf -Approved For Release ;.CIA-RDP75-00449
AFL-CAS Aid t;rings 'Puppet' L beL
0 a . U 'a din
Doinillican. nipjws'Are S 'M F eu
t2w r 9.
C
e
i
(C.ASC), with ties to the Rev- man, unions, and are now ,irl the
olutionary social Christian Nor had the AFL-CIO, or
Party. Another is Foupsa- C 0 N A T R A L', complained process of forming a new anti;
when Bosch's democratic gov- Communist confederation.'
Cesistrado, which after re
Gently coming under Commuernment was overthrown by The AFL-CIO has aevergly;
as oThe verthrown
essin
is supposed castigated these leaders for
nist control, is very weak. A Wcssin in w1963..
third is 'a group of unions at- to represent democratic la- trying to form a new.confed-.
tacked schformer Dominican President bor," commented Gustavo eration',, apparently. disap-
Juan Bosc Rev- Salazar, an adviser to the pointed that they are'' not
thehetionary fourth P P isarty CONATRAL. And Boschist unions sent here by thrbwing in .'their' -lot'' with
t
the a n t i-Communist Vene-
All Compete CONATRAL,
'~ zuclan Confederation of La-!;
houses for Workers
All these confederations are,bor. "But it backs dictators;
in bitter competition with and militarists againsts demo To induce new, unions tli
each other. But the first three i crats' and sets worker against'
have one thing in common.;' worker, all in the service ofjjoin ?CONATRAL, the AF>'.-
,._,., A ma A.T ,.r.1 the American Embassy, which'eCIO is working through the;
LAW, unons' `der Reid Cabral's rule, partly,
attack was "non-partisan." )
1Vhatever the truth, a large 4 For although labor as, a' as the result of the jailing` of,
many Boschist labor leaders:
segment of anti.Communist 1 Whole violently' opposed the
Dominican labor is violently; U.S. military intervention, L,asE, fall, as the revolution,
anti-American as well. And' CONATRAL 1 e a d e r s wel? was 'coming to an end, thei
this bitterness is likely to'I comed lt: These expressions of Reds, aimed with ,rifles,'
continue, according to ne~yelcome 'coincided with an packed A Foupsa-Cesistrado,
labor experts here, long after' meeting in Santo ]?omingo+.
AFL CIO announcement. con-
the Inter-American Peaces!demning Bosch, the symbol 'of
Force leaves the country. revolution, as friendly to and voted' in a Corhmirnist-o D split la elyaninto )four; the communism and praising Gen. dominated executive board.'
Is split largely ur I,lias Wessin y Wessin, who The Boschist leaders then'l
groups. The largestnto is fot on 'tried to crush the revolution,. abandoned the, confederation,
ably the. Autonomous C Con- as an upright, .incorruptible
on of Christian Unions together, with most, affiliate
derat
f
1
this. So many anti-Communist w' w lie I. previou y
self ousted, at the start of the Foupsa-Cesistrado appear, to.
.workers "hate" the .AFL CIO.( revolution ?CONATRAL, lost 1 be growing worse. .Commu?,
and CONATRAL, they says, nests started coming to then
derat on,.uh
control of most of its impor- that it is more likely that the Lore .of_,_this_ con'f ,
o
came to power a tries,,labor orgamza Ism will, rile t
munists had directed the de-
stnrction. But many' leaders tart' ousted the Bosch govern- ties with political parties does tween the Communists 'arid
ment in 1063. But when Reid not impuess them. nr ti Communists" )
in other anti-Communist Ttelations' between the AFI.
Cabral, who had close ties
labor confederations doubt) CIO and the Boschist unions,
., the AFL-CIO wa.4 him''
1 ? al 'bhlonged to
a
a
of Free Dominican Workers C considerablepow,cr` g under the; and are therefore more inter-"The AFI: CIO Is-lucky that.
(CONATRAL). ' ' de facto regime of President este(I in. political than eco-150 ? Many, Dominican workers')
AFL-CIO and CONATRAL Donald Reid' Cabral, who' nornic ends. The argument are anti C o m m u n I s t.;gttl
officials claimed that Com that in most democratir.?coun isooner or later anti-American-
cier the mill,! b
ns haven ' 1 th barriers be.,
wxanu,Reo.,.,,?.. ., ..... .-_ __.--_. ...
SANTO DOMINGO-When tive of labor than the other among many workers. acne typica ly that lit: '
I h e Dominican revolution organizations, claiming 30,000 U.S. labor experts say that - hat he was delighted that and''
broke out early last year, one ;members. Nobody ',can prove the AFL-CIO. is simply try the
who is right, since figures on, ing to foster the independence American troops had come.'
of the first places sacked by, union *membership are un of Dominican unions. They Other workers condemned'
angry mobs was the head- available, maintain they are opposed to (such new 'homeowners as
quarters of the AFL-CIO-sup- Gained Under Reid Cabral the other anti-Communist con?l"Yankee puppets,,
ported National Confederation federations because they Arc!'. A labor expert_ from one,
ttlched to political parties, neutral country. commentcd:.
ONATRAT h d ained
being a tool of the Al"L-G1V,: wau- '- - [111R LIV... a-.u e.vwo _.,' _ -_ _
the State Department, and' bor. Lobor . Development (AIFLb).
the C e n t r a l Intelligence Terrorism Charged The institute, financed larger:
Agem-l:.. Many anti-Communist aa- by the U.S. government and;
Victor Reuther, head of the, bor leaders openly accuse.
United Auto; Workers' inter sponsored by leading U.S.:
national department, charged Iganized' CONATRAL of having or businessmen as well as the;
recently of to a trip to thegoon squads to, ter, AFL-CIO, is teaching union:
I leaders ' th a 'essentials , of}
Dominican Republic that the rorize opposition unions,
Communist or not. Although
AFL CIO was hacking a small,: American style trade ,union-4'
such reports- have also' ema-
l
unrepresentative labor group hated from Wasliin ton there ism, and ? building houses, for
while ignoring the mass or. g friendly" sugar workerK,,,r;.,_
are Yalid
t th
f th
.~
ey
a
s no proo
aanizations. Sanitiz'ed--Approved For Release : CIA-RDP75-00149R000400550026-3
CPYRGHT '
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