Charles Howard

September 14, 1879 (age 58)

Harvel, Illinois, United States

As a young man he spent some time in railroad work and as a miner but finally settled on the printing trade, which he learned in small-town shops. For one who was to serve as the head of his national union, Howard joined it rather late, in 1907, when he became a member of the local in Tacoma, Wash. , where he was then living. Moving soon afterwards to Portland, Oreg. , he transferred his membership to the Multnomah Typographical Union there, and in 1914 he became its president. Two years later he was sent by this Portland local as a delegate to the national convention of the International Typographical Union. He made a favorable impression on his fellow delegates. He also represented his local in the Central Labor Council of Portland and Vicinity, of which he served as president, 1916-18. Howard's first bid (1918) for a national office in the Typographical Union, that of delegate to the convention of the American Federation of Labor, was unsuccessful, but on a second attempt, in 1920, he was elected. Meanwhile he had moved to Washington, D. C. , to become commissioner of conciliation in the Department of Labor (1918 - 19). For the next three years (1919 - 22) he edited the Railway Maintenance of Way Employees' Journal, the official organ of one of the railway unions affiliated with the A. F. L. Since 1911 the International Typographical Union had chosen its national officers and determined national policies through a formal two-party system much like that of American politics. From the start Howard was affiliated with the union's Progressive party, the more militant and aggressive of the two. In 1922, running on the Progressive ticket, he was elected vice-president of the International Typographical Union – a rather unusual feat, since high office in unions is customarily achieved more slowly and painfully. On the death of President John McParland in June 1923 Howard became head of the union. Though defeated when he ran in 1924, he regained the presidency in 1926 and held it for the next twelve years. Howard had meanwhile become a well-known figure in the American Federation of Labor. At its annual conventions he was first a member and then secretary of the influential resolutions committee. As a result of his experiences in the Portland labor council he had, in contrast to many leaders of the Typographical Union, developed a strong interest in the general labor movement. When, therefore, the dispute arose within the A. F. L. in the early 1930's over industrial unionism and the question of organizing the unorganized workers in mass production industries like steel, automobiles, and rubber, Howard was one of the principal advocates of such organization. He suggested a program for this purpose to the A. F. L. convention of 1933. Though it was rejected, he continued his efforts and in 1934 presented a compromise proposal which would have enabled workers in certain industries to form industrial unions under the jurisdiction of the A. F. L. While the compromise was accepted in principle, it was rejected in practice by the unions which then dominated the A. F. L. Howard thereupon aligned himself with John L. Lewis, Sidney Hillman, and others in the fight for industrial unionism on the floor of the convention, and when these leaders formed the Committee for Industrial Organization in 1935 to promote the doctrine and organization of industrial unions, Howard became its secretary. Though the International Typographical Union never joined the C. I. O. , Howard's C. I. O. activities had the general support of the union's Progressive party. When in 1937 the A. F. L. expelled all C. I. O. unions and levied a tax to fight the rival movement, the Typographical Union refused to pay its share and thereby automatically left the A. F. L. Howard was criticized by some members of the opposition Independent party for spending too much time on his C. I. O. duties. A more serious threat to his leadership, however, grew out of the union's internal problems. A number of the larger locals desired more autonomy in dealing with the problem of unemployment, a policy which Howard as president opposed. Primarily on this issue, apparently, he was defeated for reelection in 1938. Before the end of his term as president he died of a heart attack at Colorado Springs, Colo. , while attending a meeting of the board of trustees of the Union Printers' Home there.

Charles Perry Howard

Edit Profile

activist labor leader

Background

Howard was born in Harvel, Illinois in 1879. He was the second child and first son of Lewis Pontius and Mary M. (Williamson) Howard. His father, a lawyer, was a native of Illinois, his mother of Ohio.

Education

Howard attended primary school in Illinois and grammar school in Kansas before going to work at the age of thirteen.

Career

As a young man he spent some time in railroad work and as a miner but finally settled on the printing trade, which he learned in small-town shops. For one who was to serve as the head of his national union, Howard joined it rather late, in 1907, when he became a member of the local in Tacoma, Wash. , where he was then living. Moving soon afterwards to Portland, Oreg. , he transferred his membership to the Multnomah Typographical Union there, and in 1914 he became its president. Two years later he was sent by this Portland local as a delegate to the national convention of the International Typographical Union. He made a favorable impression on his fellow delegates. He also represented his local in the Central Labor Council of Portland and Vicinity, of which he served as president, 1916-18. Howard's first bid (1918) for a national office in the Typographical Union, that of delegate to the convention of the American Federation of Labor, was unsuccessful, but on a second attempt, in 1920, he was elected.

Meanwhile he had moved to Washington, D. C. , to become commissioner of conciliation in the Department of Labor (1918 - 19). For the next three years (1919 - 22) he edited the Railway Maintenance of Way Employees' Journal, the official organ of one of the railway unions affiliated with the A. F. L. Since 1911 the International Typographical Union had chosen its national officers and determined national policies through a formal two-party system much like that of American politics. From the start Howard was affiliated with the union's Progressive party, the more militant and aggressive of the two. In 1922, running on the Progressive ticket, he was elected vice-president of the International Typographical Union – a rather unusual feat, since high office in unions is customarily achieved more slowly and painfully. On the death of President John McParland in June 1923 Howard became head of the union. Though defeated when he ran in 1924, he regained the presidency in 1926 and held it for the next twelve years.

Howard had meanwhile become a well-known figure in the American Federation of Labor. At its annual conventions he was first a member and then secretary of the influential resolutions committee. As a result of his experiences in the Portland labor council he had, in contrast to many leaders of the Typographical Union, developed a strong interest in the general labor movement. When, therefore, the dispute arose within the A. F. L. in the early 1930's over industrial unionism and the question of organizing the unorganized workers in mass production industries like steel, automobiles, and rubber, Howard was one of the principal advocates of such organization. He suggested a program for this purpose to the A. F. L. convention of 1933. Though it was rejected, he continued his efforts and in 1934 presented a compromise proposal which would have enabled workers in certain industries to form industrial unions under the jurisdiction of the A. F. L. While the compromise was accepted in principle, it was rejected in practice by the unions which then dominated the A. F. L.

Howard thereupon aligned himself with John L. Lewis, Sidney Hillman, and others in the fight for industrial unionism on the floor of the convention, and when these leaders formed the Committee for Industrial Organization in 1935 to promote the doctrine and organization of industrial unions, Howard became its secretary. Though the International Typographical Union never joined the C. I. O. , Howard's C. I. O. activities had the general support of the union's Progressive party. When in 1937 the A. F. L. expelled all C. I. O. unions and levied a tax to fight the rival movement, the Typographical Union refused to pay its share and thereby automatically left the A. F. L. Howard was criticized by some members of the opposition Independent party for spending too much time on his C. I. O. duties. A more serious threat to his leadership, however, grew out of the union's internal problems. A number of the larger locals desired more autonomy in dealing with the problem of unemployment, a policy which Howard as president opposed. Primarily on this issue, apparently, he was defeated for reelection in 1938.

Before the end of his term as president he died of a heart attack at Colorado Springs, Colo. , while attending a meeting of the board of trustees of the Union Printers' Home there.

Achievements

He is remembered as a labor leader.

Politics

In politics he was a lifelong Republican.

Membership

He was elected president of the International Typographical Union (1923, 1926-38).

Personality

Howard was quiet and persuasive as an individual.

Connections

His wife was Margaret (McPhail) Howard, she survived him. There were no children.

Father:: Lewis Pontius Howard
Mother:: Mary M. (Williamson) Howard
Spouse:: Margaret (McPhail) Howard

References

Union Democracy: The Internal Politics of the International Typographical Union

Main Photo

School period

College/University

Career

Achievements

Membership

Awards

Other Photos

Connections

Connections

Charles Perry Howard

Background

Education

Career

Achievements

Politics

Membership

Personality

Connections

References

Born

Died

Nationality

Political Party