Evening star., 1934-12-29
One swarm wanted to 20 to Miami


where the surroundings include bath
ing beauty revues and other relaxa-
tions for tired labor leaders. The pre-
dominant swarm decided that, while
Washington offers distracting New
Deal influences. 1t was probably bet
ter spot to consider the serious busi-
ness at hand.
The serious business tDill in
clude the 30-hour week, section
"a, the Labor Board and lot OF
other things, but the most serious
business OF all DiH not be on the
agendd. 1t mill be the thought
back in the minds of the leaders
that they may face three major
strikes ,pithin the merit sir months
TEXTILES, automobiles and steel.
Joint Action Rumored.
One major labor official, not Green,
Is now privately predicting that all
three strikes will materialize. OF
course, labor leaders sometimes predict
strikes for whatever bargaining ad-
vantage such threat may bring, but
any one can see that the situation is
so serious as to demand energetic at
| tention.
What stirred up the labor hive late
ly was the inside report that the three
large industries textiles, automobiles
and steeD have some sort of unofficial
working agreement on labor policy.
1t Is supposed to call for joint action
in event of trouble.
Whether this report Is true can
not now be stated. Automobiles and
steel have frequently worked together
/ on many things backstage. They are
naturally associated in production.
How textiles got into that crowd is
not clear. However, the only point
now is that labor leaders are ac-
crediting the report and making prep
arationS accordingly.
The subject may not be mentioned
out loud at the council meeting. be-
cause the gathering was called merely
to formulate a legislative policy for
the coming session of Congress. The
council was formerly limited to IL old
guard leaders, but the last A. F. of l.
convention increased the member
ship to 18 and let q lot of young
guards in. That means it will be
lively.
Report Provides Mystery.
The white shirts cannot yet under
stand what happened to their White
Sulphur business conference report
| when submitted to the White House.
They know the published stories
were wrong about their emissary be-
ing snubbed by the President. 1t was
their mistake. due to the fact that the
business emissary went to the White
House without an appointment and
found President Roosevelts schedule
full for the day. The White House
asked him If it could arrange an ap-
pointment for the next day, but he
had to be In New York that day, so
he left the business platform.
That tpds understandable, but
IL does not explain Uhy Mr.. Roose-
velt let the platform remain in q
pile of papers for seuerd days
Uithout looking at it.
Even more perplexing Is the fact
that certain gentleman at the
White Sulphur Springs conference
was supposed to be an indirect rep
resentative of the President. He did
not directly say so, but he talked and
acted like it, and they accepted him
as such. He counseled moderation in
the platform and they followed his
advice.
In view Of what has happened since,
they are beginning to wonder whether
they were outwitted.
More for Tinkham.
Wait until Uncle George Holden
Tinkham hears about Secretary Hull.
Representative Tinkham was excited
in statement few days ago because
Secretary Perkins has co-operated
with the League Of Nations in labor
matters. He does not know it yet, but
Mr. Hull has gone a step further and
sent brain truster Prof. James Harvey
Rogers to Geneva to confer with other
world economists under the auspices
of the League
Mr.. Hull's perfect alibi is that Prof
Rogers was appointed by the League
as the American member of the Eco
nomic Committee. At two earlier
meetings, the United States was rep
resented by Prof. Viner and Prof.
Thorpe, brain trusters both.
1t may be true that the NetD Deal
had little to do NTH the Rogers
appointment. He has not been dc-
tire in New Deal serDice lately.
FOLLOWING his return from the
siluer surrey in China. he tods@not
inuited to the White House for
presentation OF his report, although
friends sd,D him ,oditing at the
telephone for the cdu that neper
came.
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