The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1938-01-10
The Labor Spy
New York Times)

New York Tines
In its report on labor espionage the civil liberties
subcommittee of the Senate Education and Labor
Committee consisting of Messrs Thomas and La
Toilette has performed essential service To
recognize this it is not necessary to accept all the
charges and congratulations in that document There
is reason to doubt in fact that the subcommittee
known list of 1871 industrial spies consists entirely
of spies properly SO called. Already evidence has
been offered that it includes many ordinary guards
watchmen and others charged with the routine pro-
lection of property The very sweep of the reports
accusations, which does indeed read like a blue
book of American industry" in the list of the firm
names that it includes in itself arouses suspicion of
its accuracy as does the still general accusation
that labor spying lis common, almost universal,
practice in American industry.
Obviously actual labor spying is a practice utterly
inconsistent with peaceful or sound industrial rea
lions spreads and suspicion among workers.
AS the subcommittee points out it must be furtive if
it to exist at all 1t cannot be publicly defended.
One of the most revealing sections OF the report is
that showing how the system has recoiled upon en-
ployers, before the LaFollete revelations THE
employer finds that his fear of genuine collective bar
gaining with his employees causes him to surrender to
a group of unknown Adventures an increasing con-
troll his relations with his employees Thus the
security of his employees is placed in the hands of
who stand to profit by maximum OF labor
trouble and strife" These spies sometime work upon
the employers fears by bringing in deliberately colored
and nfammatory reports; they act agents provoca-
teurs. The subcommittee even cites cases in which
corporations hired spies to spy upon their own spies
who they feared betrayng confidential trade
secrets This was after all, not illogical result
the very trade of spy is deceit The spy system is
anachronistic it is vicious Let hope that we
are entering a period when it will be completely
abandoned.
The thoroughness of the subcommittee work on
this one point however, makes it all the more de-
plorable that its report is entirely onesded For that
reason it does not deal with the defense that
could plausbly be offered for the industrial spytha
as long there is industrial warfare espionage in
other methods of warfare will form inevitable part
of it. The function of government here is twofod
TO do everything possible TO bring about industrial
peace and to act umpire to that the rules of
fair play and fair dealing observed by both sides
The subcommittee, unfortunately, does not even at
tempt to fulfill this function. It's present report
deals solely with sins the employers side Its
announced program and its whole record indicate
that the three reports to follow-on industrial "muni
tioning." strike breaking and coercion-wi also be
confined to that aim. Nothing has been said of the
strike aimed primarily against the public, of the sit
down strike of the coercion and intimidation of
workers by union organizers, of picketing, of
thugs and racketeers in the unions. What would be
thought of referee who penazed only the fouls
committed by one of the contestants and deliberately
shut his eyes to those committed by the other? Such
umpring is not calculated to bring industrial peace
Only if each contestant is convinced that the Govern
men is prepared to mete out handed justice will
he consent to end his hostility and lay down his