American Labour Rivals The peace conference at Washington between the
rival American unions, the American Federation of Labour and the Committee for Industrial Organisation has been. adjourned. It would be a relief to the Administration and an immense advance for American labour, if their differences could be settled, particularly since a breakdown of the Conference might lead to the application of the Federation's plans for breaking Mr. Lewis' organisations, especially in Virginia and among the longshoremen on the Pacific coast. This could only result in a bitter and wasteful war between the unions. Nevertheless, Mr. Lewis appears to be in no mood for making concessions ; and his representatives at the conference on Tuesday presented two demands which involve complete surrender of the Federation's claims in the industrial fields covered by Mr. Lewis. They were that the Federation should agree to the organisation of the mass production, maritime, public utility and manufacturing industries on " vertical " lines by the C.I.O., and to the formation of a separate and completely autonomous branch of the A.F.L. for the C.I.O. unions. The Federation rejects this and is likely to reject it still when the conference meets again a week hence. * * *
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