The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-09-09
A Sham Battle on the
Auto Code

What happened in Washington on
that 18th of August, when tine public
hearing on the auto code was held?
1t was a grand show, General
Johnson did his herman spiel, the
National Automobile Chamber of
Commerce presented their open-shop
code, and Billy Green, putting up
his shiny, boiled face, played "oppo-
sition." Mr.. Green was very mill
tant." He actually demanded Co.
cents an hour minimum, a 30-hour
week. and manv other things. He
didn't miss a cue.
Only two days before, Aug 16, the
International News Service sent out
a dispatch quoting Green as follows:
1.-The representatives of the major
companies present demonstrated their
willingness to cooperate with the
labor advisers and the Recovery Adj
ministration to the fullest possible
extent. There seems to be no con-
troversy in the industry over mini
mum wages
THE fly in the MIRA ointment fly
1 which proved too big for the blue
eagle to swallow, was the delegation
from the Auto Workers Union that
appeared at the hearing. They had
come to present the code written and
approved by the auto workers them
selves. The MIRA flunkeys did their
part in trying to keep the delegation
out. Most of the capitalist news
paper correspondents did their part
in suppressing all news of the work.
ers' delegation. But General john
son and his all-star cast were never
theless compelled to listen and to hear
demands for rs cents an hour mini
mum wage, 6-hour day and 5-day
week, guarantee of 40 weeks work
a year, workers control of the speed
up, abolition of the spy system and
other provisions, as well as for a
separate Ford code because of the
special system of exploitation de-
veloped by Ford.
The auto code was signed by Presi-
dent Roosevelt on Aug. az. 1t is the
code of the manufacturers, CT that
section of the industry dominated by
General Motors. Though it cauti-
ously avoids using the words open
shop it contains as part of the Sec
ton on Labor a provision guarantee
ing the open shop:
g. employers in this industry may
exercise their right to select, retain
or advance employees on the basis of
individual merit, without regard to
their membership or membership
in any organization.
This open shop code was adopted
with the approval of the Labor Ad-
visory Board. The acting chairman
of this board is William Green. Among
its other members are John l.. Lewis,
president of the United Mine Work
ers, and Sidney Hillman, president OF
the Amalgamated Clothing Workers
and darling of liberals and Social
lists"
There is no doubt about the mean
ing of the open shop provision. All
the Detroit newspapers, as well as the
capitalist press throughout the coun-
try, hailed it as q victory for the
auto manufacturers. Chester M.
Culver, general manager Of the En-
ployers Association Of Detroit, de-
clared in an interview published Aug.
%: THE automobile industry in
Detroit has always been open shop.
The code offers an opportunity for
the industry to maintain the present
status"
The Detroit Free Press stated edi-
torially on Aug. 30:
1.-THE labor provisions OF the Auto
mobile Code, signed by President
Roosevelt, mean that the motor
vehicle manufacturers have been sue
cessful In what many of them felt
was substantially fight for life
And Green?
While the bosses were celebrating,
he wired lying statement to William
Collins, who has been trying to Or
ganize the auto workers in Detroit
into the A. F. of L., that these pro-
visions do not affect the right to or
ganize and bargain collectively and to
belong to union Of the workers
own choosing.
But on Aug. 20 the New York Times
carried a dispatch from Washington
that stated: ASKED why the board
had approved the modification for the
automobile code, even with reserva-
tons. william Green's reply was that
1t was deep secret CMy emphasis
ABB ny.
The auto workers want to know:
What Is Green's deep secret? 1t isn't
hard to guess.