The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1936-09-11

b"
sion, by Candi-
dates Landon
and Knox. Gov
ernor Landon's
ideas on the
right Of work
erS to organize
In their own
interest and for
their own bet
torment remain
as irreconcil- wv. r,txrntr,cs
able aS they
were before the Socialist nominee
for the presidency, Norman
Thomas, asked him some weeks
ago for q Qualification Of them. In
reply to Mr.. Thomas request for
explicit information Gov. Landon
wrote that he was not opposed to
unions. On the contrary he was
for them. So wide and so deep was
his affection for unionization that
1t included all kinds Of organiza-
ton, craft, industrial, horizontal,
and vertical. He went SO far as to
take to his heart the employee
representation variety or, as It is
more commonly and more accu-
rately described, the company
union. The company union Is ac-
cepted not only by bOna-iide-
unionists but also by all those
intelligently informed in labor
matters, rs being no union ut all.
It Is In practice, however, noble
as It Is In theory, an organization
created, sponsored, and supported
by the bosses of the industry
wherein It Is found.
Boss Controlled
II has nothing In common with
any of the recognized types OF
unions because Its purpose Is to
destroy them. The boss runs It, pays
for Its upkeep, and uses 1t as O
club to prevent valid organization
Of his workers. am not consider.
ing the justification or need Of the
company unions existence In an
industry. So far as I am con-
cerned, and I write with full
knowledge OF Its history IN
American industrial and economic
life, u has no justification. The
record proves beyond dispute that
wherever O company union and O
bona fide union function In the
same plant or mill or mine the
former invariably has been used
to destroy the latter and when
the destruction has been accom-
plished the company union either
passes out Of existence or re-
mains inactive until the need Tor
Its destroying power again arises.
Yet this Ii the type Of worker
organization Of which Candidate
LandOn approves TO the same de-
gree rs he does those recognised
as being altogether independent
Of control and manipulation BY
boss. Let me give o truthful &C.
count Of the way the company
union operates and you will UNI
derstand why Gov Landons
stand on unionization Is looked
upon by unorganized aS well as
organized workers as q stupid Of
fort 10 carry water on both
shoulders.
History
There was Just before our en-
trance into the Great War an Or
ganization OF actors. II was made
UP OF players on the variety stage,
In the dramatic theater, In the
circus, In burlesque, and the other
departments Of the amusement
world. II was On international
union, afiiliated with the Aineri.
can Federation Of Labor, ana II
had O membership OF twenty
thousand men and women. IN
course OF tame II became engaged
In O controversy with the owners
and operators OF theaters over
contractual relations, working
conditions, rates Of commission,
and other matters incidental 10
the conduct OF the show business.
It was O bona-fide trade union
committed to the welfare OF stage
workers. The controversy reached
a point where II began TO look %
II the union was going TO be able
at least to force the employing
group into q conference TO dis
cuss the disputed questions. An
extremely able theatrical riagnate
conceived the plan OF forming 0
company union. II was done. The
managers association paid the
cost OF organizing, paid the rent or
the meeting place and the salaries
OF the ofiacers, and established Q
clubhouse where It's hand picked
officials could carry on the work
OF destroying the existing orgali-
nation which could not DO con-
trolled.
Plan Of Action
The plan worked TO perfection
not because Of the spineleSSness OF
the union actors but because the
contracts which they had TO sign
IN ordar 10 get work had stamped