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One of the myths about this struggle is that it started over a smartly-dressed, auburn-haired secretary named Norma Perry, whom Mr. Bridges inherited when he took over presidency of the longshoreman's local. It was also reported that Norma Perry was the brains behind Harry Bridges. Miss Perry, who was read out of the Communist Party for disruptive tactics, was fired by Mr. Bridges in the autumn of 1935, promptly went over to the Lundeberg camp, where she now handles publicity for the Sailors' Union, running a stenographic service on the side. Harry Bridges claimed that she tried to influence union affairs, even to the extent of countermanding his orders. Actually the break between the two Harrys was caused by divergent policies. Bridges believes in unity at all costs, being willing to sacrifice the interest of one group for the benefit of the whole. Lundeberg is intensely loyal to his sailors, and Bridges suspects him of trying to gain advantages for them at the expense of other unions in the Federation. West Coast business has done its best to encourage the break, tending to play up to Lundeberg, just as it plays up to Dave Beck and other A. F. of L. leaders. The divergent viewpoints of the two Harrys is evident even in their attitude toward C. I. O. Both regard A. F. of L. as ineffective. But while both were invited to John Lewis's Maritime Conference last week, only Harry Bridges attended. Harry Lundeberg stayed home to get in his licks at the month-old convention of the Maritime Federation in Portland. And as soon as the C. I. O. committee was announced, Lundeberg objected by wire that it was "undemocratic and not representative." He got the convention to vote down endorsement 107-to-72, in effect, by having it referred to a rank & file referendum. This simply meant that Lundeberg was afraid his sailors might lose their independence in the big C. I. O. maritime scheme. The longshoremen have already voted overwhelmingly for C. I. O. affiliation. Though the official count of the sailors' ballot has been locked up by Harry Lundeberg, it is understood that they also plumped for C. I. O. Harry Bridges is a stickler for union democracy, and in rank & file votes he usually wins. Incorruptible by cash, favors or flattery, Harry Bridges has an almost fanatic following.
With West Coast maritime labor apparently sold on C. I. O. the big job for Messrs. Lewis & Bridges is the East Coast. There in one of the biggest National Labor Board elections yet scheduled, some 75,000 seagoing workers are about to be polled to see whether they prefer A. F. of L.'s International Seamen's Union of America or C. I. O.'s National Maritime Union. The effort to get members of these rival unions aboard ships before the election begins was causing almost daily tie-ups along the Atlantic seaboard all last fortnight.