The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-04-02
.|NDuSTR RIAL SPY,
RECRu|TED.FR0M
RANKS OF LABOR
How He Is Trained and What
Manner Of Man He Is; Called
an Efficiency Worker"
Continued from, Page 1.
II told him I thought would try

II told him I thought would try
it.
HE then told mo to go home and
write him q sample daily report put
ting down the best; could on paper
what I had done that day. Mail this
to me- he said, and from that will
be able to determine whether you will
be the one suited to do the work I
have outlined. AS soon az we have
received this report from you we will
let you know what we want you to
do and where we want you to begin
your work.
II promised I would send him
report that night which I did. How
ever, have not yet heard from
them"
TO the credit Of the agency's psy-
Geological astuteness be it said that
although this workers first report
was carefully supervised by the offic-
ers Of his union, the ruse had not, in
this instance, any effect whatever.
This is a ruse often employed by labor
unions to gather espionage infornna-
ton. The worker, however, having
come once into contact with the spy
system, is not often trusted after
wards by the union.
Steel Trusts Way.
It cannot be said that all spies are
recruited through newspaper adver-
Using. The United States Steel corpor-
alton recruits it's secret service chiefly
from the ranks of it's inspection force.
A worker will oftentimes find himself
tricked to espionage through re-
ward which is given him by his boss
for some little information he has
given, perhaps unwittingly.
A check presented and endorsed by
the worker is lever of blackmail for
the corporation, which can threaten
an exposure before the union. This
practice is quite common. More COM
mon still is the bribery Of the union
official. 1t is impossible to state 70
what lengths this may go. It is certain
that the labor movement is too often
and too reasonably distrustful Of it's
officers.
The worker who answered the ad-
vertisement quoted above was more
fortunate than the silk worker of
Paterson and. without becoming a, spy,
took the complete correspondence
course Of training. for the Sherman
Service. Fhe. text. OF this course is
very long And iessfemely uninstruc-
tive. A man might have followed it
completely. through without SO much
as suspecting what the actual mean
ing of his work would be: Only few
parts are of: any interest and they
seem Significant only as illustrating
the pains with which the industrial
detective disguises both aims and
methods even to: his, own initiates.
Seems Almost Altruistic.
The preliminary eloquence makes
espionage seem almost altruistic.
There is nothing about your re-
lationship with your fellow-craftsmen
which can be considered. undetermined
or deceitful. Your mission is to aid
and assist such men and not to SOY
upon them and try to find out some
thing about them or. their doings
which would get them into disfavor
or disrepute with the employer. g
"Your purpose is going among your
own class Of mechanics or fellow
workmen in any line where it seems
your work can be most effe ctive. is to:
build up the morale Of whatever plant
you are assigned to. to set good ex-,
ample to the workmen in that plant
both by your individual actions and
your spoken words.
"You are given an assignment for
the purpose Of making observations
as to-. the individual and collective
habits Of the employees. but are GER
tainly not assigned to mingle with
them for the purpose Of tattling or
spying upon any of them"
Follows the application blank:
Questions to Answer.
What arc your sentiments toward
Socialism? Toward Bolshevism? To-
ward labor unions? II member Of
any labor union or Socialistic order
give the name and address, Did you
ever or do you now, hold any office
In same? How often do you attend
meetings? Do any of your relatives
belong to any such. organizations?
Give relationship and name Of order.
What Is their attitude? What do YOU
believe to be the underlying causes of
industrial misunderstanding? What
could be done by the employer or
employees to remedy this? Would you
be willing to work hard, faithfully and
do more than an ordinay's days
work to help Americanize or Canadi-
anize the foreign workers and estab-
lish, friendly relations between en-
ployer and Employer"
But, in the Instructions to the oper-