Montana labor news., 1934-09-27
The Washington Scene
By Len De caux

WASHINGTON FP) As Cen
eral Johnson slapsticks clumsily toward
a right-wing exit, the wires above the
Washington puppet stage begin to
squeak. The NRA administrator is
likely soon to be replaced by a better
oiled actor, lest he give the show
away.
The general has always been an en-
ployers' man, but nowadays he makes
no bones about it. His New York
speech attacking textile labor and
speaking Of its strike as "~unleashing
the forces OF riot and rebellion went
a step further than his violent attack
on the San Francisco general strike ;
it included even conservative labor
leaders, besides the rank and file and
militants of labor.
Johnson is a choice sample OF the
class-conscious capitalist. His class
consciousness extends to his heart, his
stomach and even his tear-ducts.
When l think of George Sloan my
heart weeps," said the %soft-hearted
general in his New York speech. And
who is poor George? Is he the father
or child OF one Of the textile strikers
shot in the back for picketing? Is he
one Of the toil-worn mill workers try
ing to support a family on $40 a week
or less?
No, this George is the decidedly
prosperous head Of the Cotton Textile
Institute. His skin is quite intact
thank you, and the toil-worn mil
workers contribute regularly 10 his
fortune. VIM. Lawson, NRA publicity
head, has just joined his staff to put
him and the employers in right with
the public, and now the NRA head
himself is shedding tears for him, ST
poor George is well protected from a
cruel world.
Johnson exhibited the same chicken
heartedness when German Fascist big
shots were being put on the spot by
Hitler, it will be recalled. 1t made him
sick at the stomach, he said. But the
shooting OF American workers just
seems to stir him to war-whoops.
4 = 4
Stories OF Johnson's undying loyalty
to his big chief, Roosevelt, and of the
%latter's loyalty to his loyal NRA head,
make copy that editors will print, but
they are taken with a grain Of salt in
Washington. R~oosevelts reluctance to
hasten Johnson's exit too uncere-
moniously is said here to be due to
fear that johnson may seize such an
opportunity to rally his industrialist
friends in an attack on the admins
%tration. But meanwhile they still
work well together.
tremendously or unceremoniously
however, johnson is due to be re-
moved from the political stage before
long. 1t is all right for the big in
dustrialists to gather at Hot Springs,
Va, and frankly say they'd like every
thing from the moon to a working
class driven long hours for the lowest
wages. 1t is all right for J. P. Morgan
to say what Wall street wants, and
for the Chamber OF Commerce to
speak openly for the businessmen.
All such stuff is off-stage talk by
the wire-pullers. But the political
puppets aren't supposed to talk that
way, they're supposed to give the folks
a show. So if Johnson wants to talk
like a big boss, he'd better do it off
stage.
But while the wires are still squeak
ing, let's see if we can get a peek al
the pullers. Don't let the barkers
deafen us meanwhile with their shouts
about seeing Kid Roosevelt knocking
Old Man Wall Street for a loop. The
hands that pull the wires may jostle
each other at times, but on the whole
they work pretty we'll together.
Right now there's a little j%ostlina
going on. One pair OF hands belong
to interests that are not altogether
satisfied with the new deal. Finan-
ciers like Morgan, money interests
that don't want too much initiation
spokesman for heavy industry like
George Houston Of Baldwin Locomo-
tive Works, feel that the puppets OF
lighter industry, of quicker and easier
money, are taking up too much of the
stage.
The other pair of hands is not much
worried, however. You don't hear
Rockefeller oil interests doing much
kicking over administration oil policies
Inflationary spending of public money
not only tends to pacify the masses
(and there are such people as workers
and farmers, though they don't pull
the strings), but it r%ejoices f%inancia.
and industrial interests looking for
quick turnover. Producers of consum-
ers' goods prefer it, even if machinery
makers are not so crazy about it.
But neither pair OF hands has it all
its W way, The jostling by the de-
flationary Liberty League, sound
money, heavy industry boys will prob
ably make the inflationary new dealers
Of the lighter brigade move over a bit
even if General Johnson is lost in the
shuttle.
And so far as labor is concerned, it's
pretty much of a choice between hav-
ing wages cut at the point of produc-
ton, to suit the heavy boys, or cut by
high prices when it goes to buy, as the
lighter brethren prefer.
Chicago Company
Is Ordered To
Reinsfate Workers