Evening star., 1941-02-15

III II I 10 II MI.
Hillman in their David Lawrence.
comments, but they do say they are
not responsible for the appointment
of any labor leader in the defense
Setup without their consent or Selec-
ton
Most pointed is the latest editorial
that appears in the February issue
of the American Federationist, Off
cial organ of the American Fedora
tion of Labor, which, under the title
of Give Us Representation" says:
"One fact in the English war eX
perienCe stands out with inescapable
forCe-the war cabinet got complete
cooperation in its production pro-
gram only when 1t asked the Feder-
alton of British Industries and the
Trades Union Congress to designate
representative to serve as an ad-
visory committee to the Ministry
of Supplies, and that advisory COM
rrittee served as a precedent for
similar advisory representative COM
mittee on labor supply with local
committees covering the whole COun-
try and local representative commit
tees on war production with repre-
sentative committees for commodi-
ties.
BY giving responsible voluntary
organizations a real part in working
out the problems of defense came
understanding and cooperation that
resulted in the magnificent will to
do and disregard of difficulties that
has checked the progress of totali-
tartan armies. A free nation has
put the principles of democracy to
the supreme test and turned what
seemed to be imminent conquest
into an opportunity to challenge the
methods and the morale of dictator
ships
Britain Modified Spiritually.
"In very effective sense the Brit
ish people are now mobilized spiri-
tualy and economically for defense
of their way of life. Voluntary or
ganizations of employers and en-
ployes are putting their experience,
their information and their re-
sources at the service of the govern
ment. All of this because they are
no longer standing on the sidelines
observing how the government meas
ures up to the need. but their
representatives are in the heart of
planning and policy making with
the further responsibility of carry
ing on-for which they must rely
upon the machinery of their own
organizations. Confidence in their
own representatives responsible to
them made possible full and free CO.
operation.
"A labor man or an employer, not
selected and delegated by his or
ganization, is as powerless to arouse
confidence and cooperation as any
other government representative.
Confusion and friction in our
own defense administration will
clear away when the responsible
head of defense calls upon or
ganized labor and organized en-
ployers to designate representa-
tives to act as advisers to him on
policies and to help organize the
ticipation in the problems of pro-
duction, supply of materials and
supply of labor.
AS our Nation swings from peace
time production to defense produc-
ton, it is efficient and economical
to make use of functional agencies
that made peacetime production
successful, so as to benefit by their
wisdom and experience. Unions and
industries are standing on the side
lines. We ask opportunity to come
into the defense organization to
give service. Let us follow principles
of organization that will provide the
understanding and enthusiasm nee
essary for the emergency.
This proposal seems so very SIM
pie, but when put into effect will
set up channels for understanding
and cooperation from the Atlantic
to the Pacific and between all groups
of citizens"
Labor Represented in 1917.
It will be noted from the foregoing
that organized labor does not look
upon Mr.. Hillman as having been
selected or delegated by either the
c. I. o. or the A. F. l., and hence
he does not have the confidence of
these groups in the same way that
might have been expected if the plan
followed in the first World War had
been carried out again.
Back in 1917 President Wilson saw
to it that a labor leader was part
Of every commission from the Ma
tional Defense Committee down to
the smallest war committee in
Washington The late Samuel
Gompers served on the National
Defense Committee and the late
Hugh Frayne served with Mr..
Baruch on the War Industries
Board. Both the National Associa-
ton of Manufacturers and the A. F.
L. stood behind all these COM
mittees and hlction was reduced to
q minimum.
1t Is not generally known that the
War Department within the last
five years in anticipation Of another
world war worked out we'll
balanced plan for the co-operatior
of labor and management, the CEN
trail point of which was the assign
ment of representatives of each of
the two groups to these various
national defense committees and
boards
The present administration, dis
carding that plan in favor Of one
man setup, has really not consulted
the wishes of either the G. I. o. or
the A. F. L., but expects both
organizations to work with some one
ip whom, privately at least, they say
they have no confidence.
iRenrnductinn Riehts Reservedl