The daily independent., 1937-07-08


Watch Its Step; Lewis Admits
Worry At Failure o. Leaders
Control Their Own Men; HON.
er Martin Called On Carpet;
CIO Would Prefer Another Auto
Boss; Social Security Board
Must Decide Ticklish Issues or
Labor Policy.
Observation-Disclosures fact about
the strike situation is that
Roosevelt has been under pres
sure right inside his own Cabinet
to make pronouncement warn
ing labor extremists to watch
their step.
AS far back as the sit-doWn
strikes, one Cabinet member who
is extremely close TO the PreSl-
dent urged that he make a
friendly but Straight-from-thc-
shoulder statement that while the
Administration was for the work.
ing-man, they should not go too
far.
Several others in the Cabinet
who are friendly to labor also feel
that it is now spelling its own
gains by unauthorized strikes,
jurisdictional disputes between
unions and extremist action.
AS a result there has been some
very quiet, but definite, inner
Cabinet resentment against the
President for not acting long ago.
The feeling is that any statement
by him now would be interpreted
by the country as being dragged
out of him rather than volunteer
ed as the leader of the country.
Lewis Worried
There have also been some
conversations with John l.. Lewis
about the responsibility of labor
extremists, and Lewis has been
frank to admit that he is worried
about the failure Of labor leaders
to control their own men. His own
problem. Lewis says very frankly
is that the CIO has grown so fast
that it lacks sufficient responsible
executives.
One weak point which Lewis
has been trying to bolster is the
United Automobile Workers, who
have had several hundred unau-
thorized strikes. For permitting
these. Homer Martin has been
called on the CIO carpet and told
he must control his men.
Martin is an eX-preacher, ar
amiable, draWly. nice enough fell
low and a good rabble-rouSer, but
not the two-fiSted executive neces-
Sary TO keep in check one Of the
newest and most potent unions in
the country. CIO executive; have
considered replacing him. but have
not been able to find a suitable
successor.
Real fact is that with union
ziation expanding at the rate il
has, it will take a lot of miracle
workers to whip up responsible Or
ganlHatlOnS overnight.
Suspicious MagnatcS
The steel executives who con-
ferred III Cleveland with PrcSi-
dent Roo evelt'S Mediation Board
took no chances Of letting slip any
words that might be used against
them.
On entering the board room
the steel mogulS looked about
carefully to see if a dictaphone OF
other recording device was hidden
anywhere. One of them auSpici-
ouSly examined a small radio that
belonged TO the hotel.
To allay their doubts. Chair
man Charles p. Taft had the
Boards secretary, who was in and
out Of the room during the meet
ing, leave her pencil and note
book outside. He also explained
that he was present only to
answer the telephone.
Beer Meters
ig.+t Of
of Standards have a unique new
job-teSting beer meters.
Ever hear of a beer meter? Few
persons out idG the brewing in
duStry have, but the device is one
Of great Importance to the Inter-
nal Revenue Bureau.
A beer meter measures the
amount Of brew that flows from
a vat, and on its accuracy de-
pcndS the Governments collec-
ton of the SIS per barrel federal
beer tax. To check On the accur-
aCy of these meters the Govern
1lCntS inspectors are equipped
with master meters" which are
clamped on the pipes through
which the beer flows.
II the recording OF the master
meters does not square with the
helr meters, then the agent knows
something is wrong.
The Bureau of Standards makes
periodic tests of the master meters
to sec that they are accurate.
The meters are required to be
within tWo-tenthS of one per cent