Evening star., 1937-12-24
BY JOHN C. HENRY.

ny JonN y. dENh1.
An epochal legal battle between the
Ford Motor Co. and the National
Labor Relations Board. while the
Committee for Industrial Organiza-
ton engages the giant of the auto
mobile industry on another front,
loomed today in the wake of find
ings by the board that the company
had violated the National Labor Rela-
tons Act
From Detroit came word from Ford
counsel that the company would ap-
peal the findings and accompanying
orders in the courts. Here, it was
made plain that the board intends
to move swiftly for enforcement action
from the courts if the company makes
plain its intention to disregard the
ruling. Eventually, a new Supreme
Court test of the powers of the board
may result.
The violation, the board announced
last night, consisted of interfer-
ence with the rights of Ford en-
ployes to organize, such interference
being effected by the announcement
of an employe group known as the
Ford Brotherhood, which was under
domination OF the company, and the
discharge of 20 employees for their
activities in the United Automobile
Workers, an affiliate of the Commit
tee for Industrial Organization.
On its findings the board issued an
order, served last night on officials
of the company in Detroit, requiring
the company to cease and desist from
% discouraging membership in the
U. A. w. by discharging employees,
CD dominating Ford Brotherhood or
any labor organization through finan-
cial contributions or other support,
90 orga- izing and supporting vigi-
lante groups for purposes of intimi-
dating workers, ca authorizing vio-
lence in restraining union members
from organization efforts in vicinity
of Ford plant, 90 circulating propa-
ganda disparaging labor organiza-
tlons, (6) in any other manner in
terfering with rights of self-organiza-
ton.
The board also ordered the COM
pany to restore 90 men to their
former enjoyment but found no basis
for similar complaints in the cases
OF six other men.
Immediately on service of the board
orders, according to the Associated
Press. Louis Colombo, chief of Ford
counsel, charged that the decision of
the board is based on prejudice. It is
not founded on the facts in the record.
1t Is wrong and unjust. The company
will appeal the decision to the United
States Court of Appeals"
Harry H. Bennett, chief of the Ford
Service Department, which came
under particular criticism in the
boards decision, remarked that the
boards ruling Sounds like page out
OF the United Automobile Worker
(union publication). It's not only Of
fensive, but ridiculous"
From the labor side came the fol-
lowing comment by Homer Martin,
president of the u A. W.: The deci-
sion is of the greatest significance in
that it evidences the intention and
purpose of the Government to use its
power to compel Henry Ford for the
first time in his companys history to
obey the law. Ford's vast indus
trial empire must adjust itself to an
inevitable development in modern in
dustry-the emergence and perma-
nence of labor unions"
Successfully Defied N R.A.
Fords initial defiance of the Fed
eral laws came in the days of the
N. r. A., when he refused to comply
with the codes established for his
industry. The Government failed,
however, to press for enforcement in
the courts.
The boards findings are based on
testimony gathered in public hearings
In Detroit last July, and the decision
made public today contains consider
able testimony to bear out the con-
clusion that the company "has evi-
denced an unconcealed hostility to-
ward bona f1de labor organizations
and has fought the organization of
Its employees by the Automobile Work.
ers with utter ruthlessness."
Antagonism Made Evident.
The company, the board found
mas made its antagonism to labor or
carnations so evident that no en-
ploye whose economic life is at its
mercy can fail to comprehend it.
The full significance of this antagon-
ism has been brought home to its
employees through constant hostility
OF foremen and supervisory officials,
through the systematic discharge of
union advocates, through the employ
ment by the respondent of hired
thugs to terrorize and beat union
members and sympathizers = =.
THE chief weapon of the respondent
IN this fight to prevent self-organiza-
ton among its employees has been the
Ford Service Department.. This de-
partment played the principal role
IN the savage beatings of May 26 and
in other assaults upon union mem
bers which have been described above
The record leaves no doubt that the
service department has been vested
with the responsibility of maintaining
surveillance over Ford employees not