Evening star., 1941-01-06
By BLAIR BOLLES.

y
the department will seek agreements
with engine makers, machine-toOl
manufacturers and other Industrial
lists who require metal workers.
Announced by Frey.
The mos strike" policy was an
nounced as the metal trades de-
partment's contribution to the de-
fense drive, by the department pres
ident, John P. Frey, yesterday after
a two-day conference here of the
departments 13 international
unions. The agreements contem-
plated will cover all the various
sorts of metal workers in one in
dustry in one region-an unusual
method for the American Federation
of Labor.
The A. F. L. planned to send
copies of the policy announcement
this morning to President Roosevelt,
all members of the cabinet, members
of the National Defense Advisory
Council, all members of Congress
and all offices of the A. F. of L.
international unions.
The agreements, Mr.. Frey said,
must contain provision for volun-
tary arbitration" He added that
the entering into of such agree
ments are the guarantee that there
will be neither strikes nor lockoutS." F."
Effort to Place Responsibility.
Among other things" Mr.. Frey
said, this is an effort to place the
responsibility for production square
ly on the shoulders of management
and on the shoulders of labor, so
that no outside agency will direct
U.S."
The principles agreed upon by
the international vice presidents at
their conference, as made public by
Mr.. Frey. are:
'Thoroughgoing cooperation must
be established between management
and labor through direct contact be-
tween their chosen representatives.
Where their efforts fail to bring
adjustment of questions which may
arise. the services of the Division of
Cancellation, Labor Department,
must be speedily secured. Should
this conciliation not establish prompt
results, then arbitration must be
applied.
The rules to govern voluntary
arbitration and the selecting of the
arbitration personnel must be the
joint responsibility of management
and employees representatives"
Would Act Through Own Efforts.
Mr.. Frey, who indicated that his
unions wished to act through their
own efforts and not at governmental
direction (although with official CO.
operation, said these agreements
differed from compulsory arbitra-
ton because some flexibility" was
contemplated. He said that the
union had gone further than the
Shipbuilding Sterilization Commit
tee set up under the auspices of the
Defense Council, which on Decem-
Der urged against any interruption
to defense work until all the De-
fense Councils facilities for adjudi-
eating labor differences had been
exhausted.
I'VE make no reservations what
ever" Mr.. Frey said.
Steam engines, Diesel engines, air
plane engines, electrial apparatus,
small arms, anti-aircraft guns and
field pieces are all the product in
part of the labor and metal workers
So are automobiles and airplanes,
but Mr. Frey said his department
would seek no agreements in those
industries because the A. F. L. is not
organized in them.
For the engine-making industry
the A. F. L. will seek one or two
regional agreements, Mr.. Frey said.
He pointed out that the depart
ment's decision was an extension of
a pledge taken by the 13 unions last
June 20, ito contribute their full
share to the Nations defense and
the protection and perpetuation of
those institutions of freedom which
are now menaced by totalitarian
powers"
Provisions of Announcement.
The policy announcement said, in
part:
Since this declaration of last
June, the international situation has
developed a more menacing and sin
lister aspect. The question of ma
tional defense now involves the most
speedy production of all goods, ma
terialS required for our own protec-
ton and supplying munitions of war
to Great Britain.
Since this declaration of last
June, the international situation has
developed more menacing and
sinister aspect. The question of ma
tional defense now involves the most
speedy production of all goods, ma
terials required for our own protec-
ton and supplying munitions of war
to Great Britain.
"The situation has become much
more urgent that it was last June
There has developed a pressing
necessity for unif1cation of policy
and methods in industry which will
provide the speediest production of
which Americans are capable
"The conference accepted the
grave responsibility placed upon it
by the present menacing situation,
for the organized workers repre-
sented in these international unions
constitute the backbone and the
overwhelming number of skilled
metal workers in the United States
Wider Collective Bargaining.
"It was the conviction of the in
ternational representatives that the
most effective method of speedily
unifying labor conditions so that the
greatest output of production could
be secured would be the immediate
application, on a wider scale than
heretofore, of collective bargaining
between the employers and employees
in the Woodworking industries.
"Our country naturally divides
itself into certain recognized zones
and the conference declared its in
tention to Immediately endeavor to
secure conferences with employers
in such districts, or zones, beginning
with the ShiYh,,i1di,p ipd,,ctrv srS