Evening star., 1935-02-04
Richberg and Labor.

Richberg, executive director of the
National Emergency Council, by John
L. Lewis, president of the United Mine
Workers of America, is the more bitter
because Mr.. Lewis looks upon Mr..
Richberg as a traitor to organized
labor" Pertinently, Mr.. Richberg has
replied that this charge implies de-
mand that, as a public servant, he
should put subservience to the policies
of a particular labor organization
above loyalty to the Government and
to my conception of the public inter-
est" William Green, president of the
American Federation of Labor, has
joined the onslaught on Mr.. Richberg,
declaring that he can no longer
parade as a sympathetic friend of
labor" and that he has betrayed labor
in a crucial hour, when he permitted
the approval of the automobile code.
These criticisms of Mr.. Richberg by
representatives of the American Fed
Grafton Of Labor, as he says, seem
to be based largely on the ground that
Richberg has not been guided entirely
by the demands of the A. F. of L. If
Mr.. Richberg happened to be Presi-
dent of the United States, who Is also
a public servant, the same attack by
organized labor doubtless would have
been made upon him. When the day
comes that the Chief Executive of the
Nation must be subservient to any
particular group, whether it be or
ganized labor or any other, the free
dom of which the American people
boast will surely have departed. Or
ganized labor has done much to ad-
vance the cause Of labor in this coun-
try. 1t has done much in the past to
keep things on an even keel. It would
be a great mistake and unfortunate
if at this time it should so range
itself In opposition to the Govern
ment as to create wide dissensions.
The automobile code may not be
perfect. Probably none of the codes
of fair competition is perfect. But
it represents the best judgment OBJ
tainable after careful consideration of
all the elements and facts involved.
Labor, as well as the manufacturers,
was given opportunity to be heard.
Mr.. Richberg claims that labor had
the bulk of the time. In extending the
code. provision for time and a half
for overtime work was included.
The American Federation of Labor
is backing a proposal to make the
work week for labor thirty hours. It
is relying upon its strength to bring
Congress to the enactment of such
a law, although there is wide diver
gence of opinion as to the prac-
ticability and the advisabnity Of such
a step. To tell American workers that
they must not labor for more than
thirty hours a week. that they must
be satisfied with what they can earn
IN such a work week, Is drastic pro-
posal. The automobile code now re-
tains the forty-hour work week, with q
maximum Of forty-eight hours for the
great bulk the of employees. The Auto
mobile Labor Board is continued. And,
as Mr.. Richberg points out, it would
be denial to the automobile workers
of an opportunity to designate freely
their representatives in collective
bargaining to abandon the board at
this time. Elections are now In
progress wherein substantially all the
workers in the industry are voting for
representatives. Mr.. Richberg points
out that Of total of 46,211 already
polled, 39,l72 have named representa-
tives without af1ination, 2,253 have
designated the American Federation
of Labor and 2,7os have picked Ger
tain company unions"