Evening star., 1937-03-15
NJ GRADY ASSA|LS
"D0M|NEER|NC"
SOME PLANTS
Methods of Dealing With
Labor "Antiquated," He
Declares.
NEED OF NATIONAL
POLICY HELD OBVIOUS
Industrial Development Council
Told Vast Sums Spent for
Spy System.

Assailing what he termed the "dom-
meering methods" of some American
lndustrialists, Assistant Secretary of
Labor Edward F. McGrady today called
on the leaders of organized labor and
organized industry to get together"
With the Government and formulate
national labor policy.
Speaking before the American In
dustrial Development Council, at the
opening session of a two-day confer
ence at the United States Chamber of
Commerce. McGrady declared the old
methods of dealing with labor dis
putes are "antiquated and ineffective. :"
Nothing is more obvious than that
IN this modern age, with all of its
modern industrial problems, we must
create a national labor policy" he
said. ITO prevent workers from join
ing organizations of labor of their
own choosing, unsatisfactory sub
stitutes were offered in the form of
company unions. Some industrialists
feeling that this would not fully meet
the situation, spent vast sums of
money, as the recent congressional
hearings clearly show, in building
up industrial and plant spy systems,
providing tear and nauseating gas,
revolvers. machine guns, gas masks
and bullet-proof vests.
Way mot Civilized"
These facts speak for themselves
This Is not a civilized way of finding
solution for differences between men
and management. These domineering
methods have not stopped the organi-
Zation of labor and neither have they
prevented strikes and lockouts. They
nave proved their futility. Now that
we have had the proof, the time is
ripe-right now-for the leaders of
organized industry and the leaders of
organized labor, with the assistance OF
the Government, to get together and
work out some fair, sane and sensible
program, either by legislation or by in
dustrial agreements.
Asserting that this country has no
labor policy" McGrady said that as
matters now stand, the decisions of
the Supreme Court make the forrnu-
lation of an effective national policy
almost impossible"
He said the condition of the coun-
try today is better than it has been
at any time in six years, pointing out
that the total increases in the pay
roll Of the industries over the year
Is estimated to have been $4,5OO,-
100000. Most of the increase was due
to increased employment and longer
hours, but substantial part was due
to increases in wages, he said.
Doesn't it seem tragic" he said
that a Nation that boasts of having
the worlds smartest business men and
the worlds most producing workers
has been unwilling or unable to adopt
policies to settle its labor differences
in an intelligent and honorable man.
ner without having to resort from time
to time to industrial warfare with all
the bitterness that follows and the
tremendous financial loss to all con-
cerned?"
Saying that all industries now are
striving for increased production and
greater markets and that labor is
endeavoring to get back the wages
and standards they lost during the
depression, McGrady said the present
situation Is not new except for the
fact that new technique known as
the 'sit-down' strike is being used in
some of the disputes and by workers
who were never organized before and
are not now organized"