, 1935-02-18
WASHINGTON
BY George Durno


Roosevelt administration Is moving
to set up a series OF fascist" unions.
They cite the automotive industry
as proof.
The union ren are casting q par
ticularly boring eye On Leo Wolman
and his Auto Labor Board. This Is
The agency which the A. T. Of L. re-
pudiated. but which President RooSe-
welt announced would function re-
CARELESS Of the Federation.
Dictator-Wolman Is proceeding
with factory elections to determine
how the auto workers want TO afiil-
late, paying no attention to A. =. OF
L. protests. II the majority prove TO
De unattached II Is wolman's idea
70 give them Q crack at collective
bargaining through works councils"
which the Auto Labor Board would
help set UP. These councils would
take up any grievances with the en-
ployers and, failing settlements, ap-
peal them 10 the Auto Labor Board.
This gripes the A. 7. Of l. suffi-
GENTLY but the final straw is VOL
mans request for inclusion In the
new MIRA legislation Of specific pow
er making the findings Of his board
final.
The union men contend this would
be thluly concealed fssciSm with
company unions under sctual gov
eminent domination. They recall
hat FDR very bluntly told the A. Y
81 l. executive council that while
hts administration approved the
principle Of unionized labor II could
not be expected to 20 out and do
the organizing. They claim Wolman
is trying 70 set himself up as a labor
dictator.
Bet-Meanvhile Bill Green and his
Federation are having their own
troubles in the auto plants. They
want badly TO organize the indus
try but the old issue or industrial
union VS.. craft union has popped out
Of the DOGGY box.
SpokeSmen for auto workers al
ready identified with the A. Y. Of
L. spent a whole afternoon before
the executive council arguing for
organization OF a single union
olanketins al types Of labor In the
industry.
No one was exactly arguing on
the other side Of the cast. The fact
remains that the executive council
Is composed largely Of oldtime craft
union men who hate to see their
skilled trades tossed under the same
tent as unskilled labor and white
collar workers. A notable exception
Is John Lewis, who has demonstrat-
ed with the United Mine Workers
Tow efficiently On industrial union
can be developed. The craft unions
nave been giving ground, but as slow
y as possible.
Insiders say II Is q 10 70 ] bet tbs
industrial union advocates viii win
out. One reason Is that Wolran's
laeaS are along customary horizon
al lines
BAckiire-Labor officials are nurs-
ing the wounds they took from the
arbitrary auto and cigarette codes
and the White House defense OF NRA
Chairman Clay Williams with the
oest grace they can muster.
In private they say Mr.. Roosevelt
Is trying TO take organized labor 70
the cleaners and hold It's support
at the same time. II their charge Is
anywhere near correct, so far the
White House seems to be getting
away with II.
But those energetic gentlemen
known as legislative agents are busy
circulating around the senate ano
house office buildings. They are
pouring into the ear oil all members
Who show sympathy the idea that
President Roosevelt had suddenly
abandoned the principle Of shorter
hours and higher wages as a corner
stone for recovery. Upon this luel
hey hope TO build q backiire against
the presidents most recent labor
policy.
LingeT-Since the Macon disaster
which gave US en- 90 per cent cas-
ualty list IN our major lighter-than-
air ventures-oificials from Presi-
dent Roosevelt down have hastened
10 reassure that the diEgible Is not
70 be abandoned finally.
The fact Is that our only lighter
than-air policy In the past has been
one Of expert r entat!on. The Roma,
Shenandoah. Akron and Macon al
were acquired for this purpose, a.
was the Los Angeles which survived
until obsolescence. The private Ger
man belief that our technici-ls and
ground-crews are not capable Of
maintaining Zeppelin type craft has
been challer ed continuously.
For the future 90 long as no money
Is appropriated for q new ship the
policy" may linger on but there viii
be 10 dirisible with which 70 apply
II.
Guantlet-strategists Of the dem
ocratic party profess 10 c a silver
lining In the cloud OF charges hurl-
Cd 90 National Chairman Jim Far
'ey by Senator Huey Lon
As they reason. Big Jir has been
under covert attack from Wall Streei
from he st7rt. The fact that the
louisiana KingIl il pl.ting into