The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-02-04
Espionage Directed
 Against Union Labor
Church Council in Survey Among Automotive Factor
 ies Finds Evidence of Organized Hostility Rampant

Surprising indications of espion- age" directed at the United Auto- mobile Workers union and of "com- pany domination of the existing works council" were revealed in a preliminary survey of the General Motors labor dispute made public today by the Council for Social Ac- tor of the Congregational and Christian Churches of America.
 fs a result of this survey by its industrial relations secretary, Frank W. McCulloch, the council appeal ed to the senate sub committee OH civil liberties and labor relations. headed by Senator Robert M La To ictte, to make thorough invcs- tigsstion into the situation to dis cover whether these reports of anti union activities arc true. We arc concerned" the council declared, ito sec that adequate safeguards arc giYsn for the rjghtJ of labor 10 or gaIjze as well as for rights Of prop erly."
 Industrial Peace
 esAil those interested in industrial peace and fair cmployer-cmployer relations" the Council stated, must be disrnayed by the failure of Gen. e4al Motors and the United Automo- bils Workers to enter upon nego- tiations to compose their differ cDccg.
 The stated reason Of General Motors for not confeIring is the re- fusal of the strikers to give up the two plants that are still occupied by striking workers. It will be re- called, however, that the withhold ing of these two Fisher Body fac- tories occurred only after three other plants had been cYacu- ated and after it then suddenly ap- pcared that General Motors had agreed to deal" with the Flint AL liance, an organization of business men and workers opposing the union.
 Flint Alliance
 Our preliminary survey has re- yealed that this Flint Alliance was set up with a degree of cooperation and assistance from General Motors which contrasts markedly with the opposition and discrimination ac- corded the efforts of the union to organize. Conditions tantamOunt to coercion of employees to join this Alliance are also reported in some cases. Moreover, 1t is now privately admitted that his agency is not con- stituted in such form as to be capa- bic of representing General Motors employees in any Independent or practical manner. Nevertheless, the company has continued to insist on keeping the lines of negotiat tioI open with the Flint Alliance, ant that organization likewise continues with its demands to represent the General Motors employees who wish to return to work. It is imperative that there be a free and full dis closure of the facts of this situa- ton, which only an impartial and authoritative outside agency car provide.
 
 Our first survey has also re- vealcd surprising indications oi espionage directed at the union ant of company domination of the exist ing works council. IL may vel be that there iS no legal justlfica ton for the withholding of the plants by the strikers, but if there 1s espionage, discrimination and practical denial of the right of col lectiye bargaining on the part Of company domination, Is there not q tlie company which is impliedly il not expressly, protected in tho Wag- ncr Labor Relations act? The pub- lie, as well as the stockholders and workers in General Motors plants should be informed of these fact, also in order to judge better whether there may be 'extortion' by botf parties in this controversy.
 Vigilante Groups
 With vigilante groups and civit alliances arousing local prejudice against outside 'organizers' ane popularizing the slogan of Back tt Work as their exclusive property the danger of violence Is daily in. creasing. To assist in the mainten. ance of law and order, therefore, i is essential that there be an inycs. tigation to reveal the extent t which both the company and tn, union have utilized outside assist. ance. end the nature of tn, agencies used.
 "kot only the automobile maflii. kactur5ug centers. but a much wider public iB concerned over the effecti of the present automobile strike Rights Of lsbor to organize. as wei