Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-01-13
HOOVER FIGURING
IN CABINET UPSET
Fight on Between Capital
and Labor Over Selection
of Labor Secretary.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

News OF the fight behind the scenes
between capital and laboc over the
type of man who shall be the next
Secretary of Labor is beginning to
trichle out. and explains to some ex-
tent the upset in the cabinet slate
which had been tentatively made up
by President -elect Harding.
Both sides are demanding the i'm
possible. Some representatives of
manufacturing interests want a man
who favors the open shop. Or rather
one who will recognize the right to
close shop to union workers. Labor,
on the other hand. wants . man Who
lis not fundamentally prejudfced
against unionism and who win not be
harmful to the uniQnizatfun of plants
and factories that are not organized
by the unions.
Briefly. ies the wha1e stfuexle be.
tween capital ana iaU0f over aHnin.
with this change: As prices are COM
ing down there are certain manufao-
turers who believe the time is ripe
to strike, a body blow at unions by
refusing to employ union men, or
workmen who insist that their fellow
employees shall he uni0hized. This ex-
tremfst attitude is defended in some
cases because when prices we're high
and the demand for labor was urgent
the unions are alleged to have in
sisted upon union rights and the
transformation of non-union plants
into union membership.
Hoover In Controversy.
The fortunes of Herbert Hoover are
to some extent bound up, in the con-
troversy. Mr.. Hoover was practically
selected by Mr. Harding for the secre-
taryship of labor. because liberal en-
ployers who wanted fair man rather
than a partisan thought the former
food administrators attitude toward
the labor question was sound and
that he enjoyed the confidence OF
both sides.
The American Federation of Labor
itself recently invited Mr.. Hoover to
appear before it and give advice, and
it is suspected that labor would ac-
cept the appointment of Mr.. Hoover
with signs of relief, not because he
represents their viewpoint. but be-
cause they have been in fear that u
neutral would not be appointed, and
that the next four years at least
would be constant battle with an
arch foe of unionism in the Depart
ment of Labor.
The trouble is that both sides are
emphasizing their rights when each
side should be announcing their con-
cessions SO compromise may be
worked out. That's why Mr.. Harding
himself is eager to appoint a man
who shall have the Imagination. in
itiative and force to work out a real
solution of the differences between
employer and enploye.
What Labor Leaders Fear.
The Importance of the appointment,
too. lies in the fact that the Depart
ment Of Labor investigators must be
impartial and just whenever a big
strike arises. and that their concilia-
tors must be skillful enough to retain
the confidence of the parties to
strike. The fear-o the conservative
labor leaders is that if a foe Of
unionism is appointed there never will
be any recourse to government boards
of mediation and conciliation and that
the progress which has been made
labor disputes will be lost.
The open and closed shop question
is still unsolved. The real fight that
is coming is not over reductions in
wages. but the open-shop issue. EN-
Dloyers' organizations here admit that
the struggle is on in earnest and that
the first step is the appointment of a
Secretary Of Labor. .,-.-..
Purpose Of Some Employers.
There are two kinds Of open shop,
one that is open to union and nom
union workers. with the two classes
on an equal footing. and in which the
management deals with the workers
through local committees without ref
erence to their national organisations.
The other kind is the shop closed to
union workers altogether. unfortu-
nately some employer-leaders mean
the latter kind when they talk about
an open" shop. What they mean is
one that is closed to union men and
open only to non-union men.
Copyright, 19el.)