The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1931-03-27
TheCherry
" Where with our
Tree 1;,.1. i i, !. a.,ss;, ,:s,s
about many things. sometimes pre-
foundly, sometimes Aippantly,
sometimes recklcssly. ..........


Appointment of John A. Alpine to
head the new employment service de-
velopment in the department of labor
will bring back to more active con-
tact with the trade union movement
one of its veterans.
Alpine, once the head of the plumb
ers' organization, was for years a
vice president of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor. When he resigned
he held the office of third vice presi-
dent
When Samuel Gompers went away
to Europe to carry the message of
American labor to the labor move
ments of Europe, Alpine was called in
to assume the post of acting presi-
dent. A side of the man not so we'll
known to his confreres then came to
light. They found Alpine a real
executive, with an enormous capacity
for getting work done without fuss,
apparent effort or turmoil.
Perhaps a quiet ease about doing
things was the outstanding mark of
the man as he sat behind the famous
big desk on the top floor at Ninth and
Massachusetts in Washington, where
he could swing around and look at the
capitol dome if he felt so inclined.
No man gets to be any kind of a
vice president of the American Feder-
alton of Labor without the capacity
to make and hold friends. Any man
that climbs up to the post of third
vice president must demonstrate that
capacity over long stretch of years
more years in those days than lat
terly.
But perhaps more important to the
rank and file than that, the man who
reaches that position in the official
councils of the American Federation
of Labor must know his trade union
ism. The philosophy of it must be
ingrained in his being. Surely it was
with John Alpine and it is not some
thing washed off by short absence
from active contact. So the deep
rooted philosophy of the American
trade union movement goes into this
newly created job.
President Hoover has announced
that several other executive positions
are to be created in the administra-
ton of this new fund, which is not
only to develop the present employ
ment service, but which is to lay the
foundation for coming recommends.
tions. If subsequent appointments
rate as high as this first one then the
country will be well served.
1t is worth pointing out that this is
the highest post given to any member
of the American Federation of La
Dor under the present administration
Secretary Doak will rank Mr.. Alpine
but Secretary Doak was not mem
Der of an affiliated organization.
If rumor is correct in whispering
the forecast that other trade unionist,
will be called upon p help in shaping
the employment service policy of the
nation we may in confidence look for
ward to the development of an EN-
ployment service that will be basec
on the needs of American wage earn
ers and not upon the example of an.
other country, unless that example
fits our needs.
Study of European free employ
ment agencies will be made, as ;
part of the work of preparing for al
American program. That will bring
variety of socialistic efforts int
the field of discussion, but it look
very much as if socialistic experimen
tation would have to run the gauntle
of American trade union experience: