New-York tribune., 1919-08-31

1918 meeting gives the total member
ship as d,532, ,0S5; the number of dele
gates 88l. representing 262 societies.
"(2) The General Federation of
Trade Unions described by it's secre-
organization outside of the United
States and as having March 81, 1,215,-
107 members.
"(3) The Cooperative Union, it's fra
ternal delegate to the congress report
ing a membership of 3,500,000, the
great bulk trade-unionists; associated
since 1917 in the Labor party
"(4) The British Labor party, it's
membership composed of wage work
ers and other citizens, mixed, polling
a vote equal to somewhat more than
half the total membership claimed for
the trade unions in the congress and
represented in Parliament by SO out
Of TOT members.
Cast Out Steward Plan
"However. crude and clumsy as it is,
British trade unionism possessed suf-
ficient resisting power to throw off the
shop steward fevcr after he armstce
came. From that time Che stewards
never won strike and the mass of the
wage workers in the engineering trade
repudiated both Irregular leadership
and insurrectional tactics Product Of
the war emergency, with which British
trade unionism was incapable of cop
ing, the stewards growth and power
passed away with the cessation Of way
materials.
''in the United States, as social re-
former. the shop stewards never had
u footing with its workers. TO Amer
can trade unionists, accustomed to
their own complete organization mech
anism, as workshop official supple
he would have been classed with the
provcrbial fifth wheel to a wagon"
In the article on characterization of
Industry" Mr.. Sullivan characterizes
that idea as "a compound Of syndlcal-
ism. socialism and new-fangled guild
ism" He says:
"The most conspicuous illustration
submitted of this alleged transmission
of directive powers to the workers is
the Renold factories at Manchester.
1t may legitimately be examined as
test Of the theory.
I'm q mem morandum on the subject
Mr.. Renold himself suggests as profit
able to both sides, morally or tnan-
ployers such as Interpreting to the
workers new rules or shop develop
ments coming from the management,
discussing and working out in conjunc-
tion with the workers educational mat
ters relating to shop processes and
trade technique. He regards as open
to question, however, discussion of
the filling Of any vacancy by manage
ment and workers. Mr.. Renold does
not think that workmen should choose
their own foremen, and q still more
doubtful point he feels is education
in general business questions.'
Owner Retains Authority
ut may be stated that at no point
in his memorandum does Mr.. Renold
carry his proposed participatory func-
tions for the workers beyond the limits
long practlsed by wise employers, with
or without trade union recognition and
assistance. Not on q single point does
he part with authority Of ownership.
American emp loyers have gone further
than he without thought of sharing
with their employees the powers in
volved IN ownership and direction.
Ihe thlrd lift on the way TO work
ers' government in Great Britain
is promised to the hopeful in govern
ment action through making effective
the report OF the Whitley commlttee.'
Let it be affirmed at once that the
Whitley report ~embodies no recon-
mendation whatever Of putting wage
workers in charge of any authoritative
part Of business enterprise 1t does
not suggest any method in shop ad-
ministration not known to American
workers Of the mechanical trades.
at is the opinion of the writer that
the stage now arrived at through the
tutorship of the British government
and the establishment Of its various
councils and committees is less salts
factory than the present status of the
employer and employed classes in this
country. Both sides here know where