Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1937-05-27
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National Topics interpreted "a E1l3
by William Bruckart TDIlN1EX
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Jung 70 witness labor disturbances
- of an exceedingly
Wore LABOR serious character.
Troubles Many persons
thought when the
big sit-down strikes in the automo-
bile industry were settled without
serious bloodshed that we were on
the way out of labor trouble in this
country. The feeling in this regard
had some confirmation when the
great United States Steel corpora
ton reached an agreement by which
John L. Lewis and his faction of
organized labor was recognized as
the sole bargaining agency on wages
for the greatest single unit of steel.
Unhappily, those circumstances
were not indicative of an end. They
did not presage peace between labor
and employers. The conflict is con-
tinuing and, I believe, holds the
elements of much more danger than
we have yet experienced. Because
OF the conditions that are now ap-
parent and those which happen to
lie ahead, the recent speech by Ed
ward McGrady, Assistant Secretary
OF Labor, becomes both interesting
and significant. Mr.. McGrady, it will
be remembered, made a speech at
Atlantic City, New Jersey, in which
he said boldly to the members of the
garment workers union that if labor
and capital both are to survive,
there must be a sincere effort on
the part Of each group to under
stand the problems of the other. He
reduced the differences between
employer and employee to the sim
pie formula, namely, that represent
atives of each side, if they expect to
do justice by their own people,
must sit down at a table and talk
things over honestly.
Now, the Assistant Secretary's in
terest in labor cannot be questioned.
He is a former official of organized
labor. During his term as Assistant
Secretary he has been exceedingly
active and earnest in his attempts
to solve labor problems and bring
about industrial peace. His efforts
at Cancellation cover the range from
the bitter maritime strike on the
west coast to the more or less in
consequential sit-down strike Of
hundred employees in a hotel here
in Washington.
So, it seems thoroughly fair to as
sumo that any advice given by Mr..
McGrady must include absolute
justice for the workers.
Mr.. McGrady believes that the
irresponsible practices which lead
employers to treat labor representa-
tives as agitators are due to ig-
norance. On the other hand, you
cannot help reading between tn e
lines Of his recent speech an in
ference at least that he regards
some labor representatives as quite
as irresponsible as some en-
ployers. His view in this regard is
indicated by the stress, the en-
phasis, which he laid upon the inn
portance of discipline among union
members together with his assertion
that labor must recognize the sancti-
ty Of its contract with the en-
ployers just as much as the en-
ployers must recognize the validity
Of their contract with labor.
Mr.. McGrady pointed out what
losses result from shut downs or
strikes and declared that the eff
cheney in production, which the coun-
try has right to expect from in
dustry, cannot be achieved unless
labor and capital work together.
Further, the Assistant Secretary
observed that responsible labor
leadership" must place efficiency
and elimination of waste and loss
among its detectives if organized la
Dor is to achieve worthwhile goal.
Mr.. McGrady's exposition of his
conception of relations between en-
ployer and en-
See Nay ployee comes a s
of Hope something of ray
of hope to the
great masses of American citizens
who are neither employers of labor
nor members of labor unions. have
said in these columns before and
repeat that the tragedy of con-
fiict between employer and en-
ployee, organized capital versus or
ganized labor, lies in the fact that
there are millions of people in the
role Of innocent bystanders. They
are the individuals who suffer most.
1t is inevitable that they must suffer
because in a nation whose COM
merce and industry is as complex
as ours, every time capital or labor
abuses the powers entrusted into its
hands, those who are not members
of either group pay a penalty which
Is not possible of measurement.
This characteristic Of life obtains
not alone in the United States. It
exists in every civilized country to
the extent that that country is In
dustrialized.
There is no better evidence of
the truth Of the statements I have
just made than an incident which
occurred few days ago in the
house of commons in. London. STAN
ley Baldwin, prime minister of Eng
land, and one Of the most powerful
r.