Evening star., 1941-07-20
Labor Seen ASKING
Parity in Defense
Management
Would Have Equal Voice
With Government
And Industry
By CLARKE REACH,

program, ana the 1O,OOUOOO voices OF
the organized workers making this
demand became clearer and more
audible early this month when the
strike wave receded and the uproar
and the chanting of the picket line
died down somewhat.
1t Is an obvious echo of the cry
of the British workers a year ago,
when every soul in the United King
dom was called upon to sacrifice to
the limit to preserve the nations S
freedom, and labor replied it was
ready to place its hardWon privi-
leges in escrow only after it had been
given a share in the government
equal to that of industry.
Many liberal thinkers in the ad-
ministration doubt that labor could
draw a true parallel between the
situations here and in England.
Hillman Tried Cancellation.
But Sidney Hillman obviously
was attempting to Conciliate labor
on this score in two significant
moves on July 9. That date could
we'll mark transition stage. Only
one strike case was pending before
the National Mediation Board.
There were only Is strikes in de-
fense industries, involving $50
workers. There had been a steady
recession from the peak reached in
the latter part Of March, when 10000
to "a 900 workers were out on strikes
in defense industries, and at the
end of April when 100000 coal
miners were added to the $4,000 to
$4,000 workers who were striking in
the defense plants.
Contracts had been signed by en-
ployers and employees in nearly all
the major industries. Only the air.
craft field remained as a likely
trouble spot.
Labors high command was ready
to press its more fundamental de-
nnands. The administration of the
defense effort was being turned over
to the leaders of industry, and the
leaders of labor were left on the
sidelines, said labor.
These complaints had reached a
high pitch when Mr.. Hillman on
July created defense labor advisory
committees and established a ia
Dor supply branch" in the Office of
Production Management.
Wished Equal Labor Voice.
Mr.. Hillman, associate director Of
o. P. NJ. and the only labor leader
holding a top administrative posi-
+io,, IN tho Gofay,ca catI1p iptop5ad
in the first instance to draw large
number of the union heads into
Q. P. M as advisers to the commodity
section representatives, with voice
equal to that of the Defense Industry
Advisory Committee members, who
are industrialists likewise enlisted
to advise The commodity sections.
Creation Of labor supply branch
was an all-out effort TO mobilize
the labor resources. of the country
for the rapidly expanding defense
production program, and Mr.. Hill
man announced that both labor and
management would be represented
on the new agencies which would
operate under the new setup. He
called it "one of the most signifl-
cant poolings of labor. management
and Government resources that has
thus far taken place in the national
defense program"
But neither these nor any similar
moves by the administration have
satisfied the labor men. In the first
place, they say, they do not wish
to be merely advisers; they want
to be administrators. In the sec
ond place, they do not want any
administrative work to be concerned
solely with labor matters: they want
to have a say in every phase of the
defense effort.
The A. F. l.. and the c. I. o. speak
In unison of the general principles
involved in this issue.
Watt Speaks for A. r. L.
The A. F. L. view was expressed
by Robert J. Watt, international
representative of the A. F. L. and
the American workers delegate to
the International Labor Office since
1886. He made the statement in
a memorandum submitted to par
ley of A. F. L. chiefs which was held
a few days before Mr.. Hillman's
announcement:
"We ask that labor be given equal
representation with industry and
Government in the determination,
Interpretation and administration
of policy on all civilian programs
on Federal, State or local levels.
I'VE emphasize that the success
full experience in Great Britain of
the participation of representatives
of the three groups in the planning
as we'll as the execution of policy
demonstrates an urgent need for
wide expansion of such program
here. Those serving on such COM
rnittees should be responsible rep
resentatives nominated by their re-
spective organizations.
This applies not merely to poll
cies as to labor disputes, wages and
hours, employment service, appren-
ticeship, social and labor legisla-
ton, but to policies of production
management, priorities, price con-
trols, transportation and all other
matters of community effort in
which labor can and should be
looked to as the representative of
the majority of the community"
Murray Backed by c. 10.
The G. I. o. lines up behind Philip
Murray, its president, on his plan
for the entire defense production
effort to be administered by indus
try councils, managed jointly by in
dustry and labor.
Two days before Mr.. Hillman's
announcement, a special legislative
conference of G. I. o. leaders re-
solved to bring about the estab-
nshment of the C. I. o. industry
council plan by the Government of
the United States"
Mr.. Murray told the conference
that "the work of the councils was
to be administrative in nature, not
advisory; each industry council to
be charged with the direct re-
sponsibility of managing each of
the defense industries Jointly, that
is, through both labor and industry
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