New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-03
ILLUSTRATION from Jo-
Seph PenmeWs Pen DrdaU-
ING and Pen Draughtsmaem
(M0cmitlon)

>vance toward an industrial democracy
is thwarted by the capitalist-employer.
His refusal to allow the workers to
tackle the purely technical or engineer
ing problem Of production forces them
to resort to violence, to devote their
strength to building up fighting or
CARNATIONS. Only when they have til
umphed will class warfare be abolished
and the problems Of industry be with
drawn from the battlefield to be solved
In the same spirit as those Of santa
ton.
The new Industrial government which
the trade unions are fashioning may be
guessed at through analysis Of the
growing influence Of the central labor
bodies, the industrial unions and the
national congresses Of trade unions.
The problems Of administration involve
education in the historical and eco
nomic background Of the workers job
as we'll as the technique. This Should
mean an immense expansion in spirit
ual power.
If ono can be permitted to guess
at Che reception Of the book, it will
be met by the distrust Of many of the
admirers Of Frank Tannenbaum. There
is feeling among some radicals that
going to college and writing solid books
is an unconventional thing for a revo-
lutionist to do. There is the belief that
unthinking action produces more pro-
found social change than thought; that
there is no man who has written book
and remained q revolutionist to his
death except Karl Marx. All writers
are felt to have become conscious or
unconscious deserters Of the working
class.
There are other readers who will
heartily disagree with Frank Tannen-
baum's Interpretation Of the Labor
movement. The employer views the
unions from the outside as an ugly
threat. He will read with satisfaction
criticisms in the publishers note. It
will he hard for him to see the con-
structive tendencies indicated by the
author. The employer will, however,
agree with Frank Tannenbaum and
William 2. Foster that the trade union
lsSthe reddest thing on earth. It seeks
security for its members and In SO do
ing will move heaven and earth.
There are also leaders among the
new unionists who look upon the old
line trade union movement critically.
They see the lack of identity Of inter
est between trade union officialdom and
the rank and file. They agree with
Hoxie in his description of the old
unions building up Of vested inter
est" which is anti-social. 1t will be
hard for them to agree with the author
in viewing the present labor move
ment, as a psychological unit and as a
power for the conservation Of human
resources.
Many employment managers will be
much interested in the chapter on
psychology and will shake hands with
PTannenbaum when he insists that
steady work is the great desire of la
Dor. They will differ with him as to
the means Of gaining security They
will recommend an intelligent policy of
personnel administration, sterilization
OF industry and not trade unionism az
conserving force.
The book is challenge to thinkers.
Il is bound to receive wide attention.
Its exposition is clear and logical. His
work has a powerful swing and often
poetic charm, although it is evident he
is more interested in expressing ideas
than in the manner of expression. The
authors love of specific instance to
back UP theory reveals an unusual
grasp of the everyday detail Of trade
union life.