Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-05
Labor's Grip
On Ford Far
From Tight
Plant Safe From Seizure;
lnter-Union Row Seen
BY PAUL MALLON

BY PAUL MALLON
WASHINGTON. Feb. 5.-The
" Tightening squeeze which
labor has been putting on Henry
Forthwith a few words OF APP
parent encouragement from the
administration on the side
have made it appear that the
carburetor of that vast inde-
pendent business is falling into
the clutches of the labor organ
izing groups at long last. But
don't be too sure. So far they
! only have the tail-light.
II is true the Supreme Court
will hand down a decision in two
National Labor Relations Board
cases against Ford within a few
weeks. These will. undoubtedly.
he against Mr. Ford unless about
five of Mr. Roosevelt's recent
appointments to the court sud-
denly drop dead.
II is also true both Mr.. and
Mrs. Roosevelt have said re-
Gently the government is en-
powered To take over any plant
refusing to accept defense con-
tracts v'@~A is incontrovertibly
trI,-
Bur rne whole case is en-
mcshed in such legal tape that
the final result seems far less
close than the surface events
would indicate.
Mr. ROOSEVELT is empow-
AV1 cred only TO take over in
dustries which have refused a
compulsory order. Ford has not
done that. Here is what hap
pened
The war department sent out
invitations 10 bid on trucks. A
clause in the invitation required
the bidder 10 abide bv the fed
cral labor laws (meaning the
National Labor Relations Act,
Walsh-Hcaley child labor, etcD.
Ford submitted price but
scratched out this clause. The
bid, therefore was rejected and
The contract for the trucks went
10 Fargo Motors Company. SUBJ
Sidiary of ChrySler Motors.
War UnderSecretary Patter-
son. who knows as much about
law as any one around that
department. is OF the opinion
that the case does not represent
a refusal of compulsory order.
In legal fact, il was not even
valid bid
II is doubtful that Mr.. Roosc-
welt would move 10 take over
any plant except in an extreme
case This one is not only not
extreme, hut not even a case
THIS- uproar- oYer-Eord- CON-
L tracts was none OF Sidney
Hillmans making. The former
Go leader. now associate direc-
Tor OF defense. has been scoffing
the situation off as probably OF
Ford's design.
His associates imply tho war
department and Ford must have
cooked The impasse in order TO
damage the prestige Of labor
laws. This Is denied by the war
department IN convincing fash
ion The attitude of the Hillman
people therefore. merely dis
counts some public interpreted
tons that are now being made.
Nor Is there any evidence that
the synchronization OF Mr..
RooScvelt's and Mr.. Greens
statements represent collision.
Green's boys have been work.
ING quietly in the Ford plant for
years without any government
help. They merely issued char
tiers to a federal union of Ford
workers last week ON the basis
of information from their local
people on the job that they now
have a majority.
DILL GREEN'S claim that the
~ AFL has majority of Ford
workers now means only, If true,
that there will be one tremen-
dous. outstanding fight with the
Go over organizing that plant.
Some doubt that it is true is
being cast by CIO sympathizers
in and near the government.
They insist Green's only hold on
the Ford plant is among the
pattern makers and machinists.
These arc two of the highest
paid lines of Ford labor. but far
from majority. Naturally
their word is suspected and has
no more objective value than
Green's.
But as a result even if Ford
wanted TO make contract with
AL. the Go will protest to
the NLRB and demand an Off
cial election by Ford workers,
which IT can get.
nON'T let apoplexy overtake
~ you while reading the in
creasing reports about Phil Muir
rays plan to the President
recommending creation of over
all industrial councils to guide
industry.
NJ M,rrox, l.. ,attl;r- %,