Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-20
WOULD PATTERN
j. S. TRADE UN|0NS|
British Mine Leader Urges
Adoption of American
Methods.
BY JOHN GUNTHER.
Correspondence of The Star and the Chicago
Daily NeWs.

Correspondence of The Star and the Chicago
Daily News.
LONDON, England.-American labor
problems are of the utmost importance
in shaping British labor policy, ac-
cording to Frank Hodges. secretary
of the International Miners Associa-
ton, in an interview with a repre-
sentative of the Chicago Daily News.
British trade unionism must look
to American trade unionism not only
for it's practical demonstration of
economic power" said Mr.. Hodges.
but for guidance in the industrial
crisis Of the next decade"
AS a 6-year-old boy Hodges entered
colliery to work for his living. He
was awarded an oxford scholarship
later at the labor college and after
prophet. He has represented the min
ers in dozens of important disputes.
He was civil lord of the admiralty In
the Macdonald government.
Mr.. Hodges outlined half q dozen
ways in which. In his opinion. Amer1-
can trade unions can teach the Eng
fish.
Approves Non-Political Policy.
First of ALL" he said, Il think the
Americans have done well to avoid &C.
tive Intervention in politics. That pol
Icy has cost them only doubtful bene-
fits, while beyond doubt 1t has gained
them their extraordinarily powerful
organization devoted exclusively to
economic problems.
I'VE here In England, even in our
trade unions. live for politics. What
has 1t gained us? Nothing.
American trade unions have
gained an incalculab BILE advantage over
| us by their system of labor banking
We have no financial authority or
| independence here. American labor
has.
| Il think American trade unions are
| to some degree responsible for the
| generally excellent cooperation be-
| cooperation Americans have happy
advantage over us. We are miles
from achieving it.
| we have something to learn from
| American labor in the matter of trade
union journalism. We certainly have
something to learn from the Amer
lean system whereby workers buy
goods marked with the trade union
| stamp.
Finally. admire American trade
unionism for its control of Industrial
workshops and its general struggle
for high wages"
Believes in High Wages.
Mr.. Hodges views. as summarized
here. are somewhat unconventional
Most English labor leaders feel they
have the most powerful trade union
organization in the world and that
America is hopelessly backward
| MIR. Hodges went on to say that, in
his opinion, American labor organiza
| ton was the real cause of present
American prosperity.
| Il am a high-wage prophet" he
said. Il preach high wages here. not
only from the point of view Of labor
but from that of good business. l am
convinced that the maintenance OF
| high wages by trade unions in Amer
| lea is bedrock reason for American
business prosperity. l am convinced
that the same thing should be true
here. But 1t isn't. And it's our own
fault and our own funeral"
Mr. Hodges takes a reasonable view
of the impending English coal crisis
which VIII come to head next Spring
when the present government subsidy
to the coal industry expires.
| No Chance of Revolution.
| Il don't think there will be any
row." he said. II don't think there
will be any general strike And ]
know there will be no revolution"
He added that the scaremongers
who are busy keeping up the ques-
ton as England done?" and the
pessimists who feel that sure a gen.
eral strike is coming next Spring are
| mighty dangerous to the peace of the
| country.
! They do all of us active injus-
tice," he said. by attempting to
create psychology of inevita bility
business may slacken as a result
Many people are already hopeless
| That sort Of defeatism is the worst
kind of madness. We should face
the issue and fight it,
Concluding. Mr.. Hodges said i,
would be~the business of his miners
as well as Of the government to &C
cept the coal commissioners verdict
apply sound remedies If the recon
mendationS are technically correc,
and then wait till the government,
puts them into effective operation.
| L am opposed to the subsidy" said
Mr.. Hodges. but am infinitely more
opposed to revolution"
Copyright. 1925. BY Chicago Daily News Co. }