Evening star., 1942-01-08

WAS IIle real IIlO- DdNlu i>AWTeheV'
tive behind the so-called Reuther
plan. The auto industry has refused
to accept it because it means turn
ing over the responsibility for man
aging Americas vast auto plants to
men who have never had that re-
sponsibility and taking it away from
the men who have heretofore made
q success of management.
Somehow or other the c. I. o. and
A. F.. L. members of a conference
which was called to discuss the
problem came to an agreement on
this demand. Up to now the A. L.
LIS record on communistic programs
has been free from any taint. But
now its representative, presumably
with the knowledge of its executive
council. has joined in the c. I. o.
demand.
The demand is so impractical
that even Sidney Hillman, labor CO.
chairman of the o. P. M, concurred
with William Knudsen in rejecting
1t. When the auto industry repre-
sentatives and the o. P. M. chairmen
agreed on a proposal for handling
the problem. it was the labor group
which threw the first monkey
wrench into the harmony that has
been expected to develop ever since
the President recently receded from
his request for anti-strike legisla-
ton. 1t appears now that labor is
asking a high price-a voice in
management.
Demand Stuns Industry.
The first plan agreed on by the
auto industry and O. P. M. execu-
tives provided that any suggestions
for conversion of peace time facili-
ties would be received by the new
joint committee of labor and in
dustry, which in turn would recon-
mend" them to the o. P. M. The
labor representatives came in with q
counter demand. They struck out
the word recommend" and insisted
that the joint labor industry COM
mittee should be empowered Ito
determine and put into effect
methods, etc" for conversion of
plants and their operation.
Industry's representatives were
stunned by this demand. Lawyers
for the o. P. M. were summoned,
and they stated that such a plan
would be violation of antitrust
laws. Indeed, from the very be-
ginning the o. P. M. has been care
full to point out that any restriction
Of output or fixing of prices must
be done by Government agency
and not by any council or committee
OF producers or interested parties.
The legal obstacles may have been
the reason but later it was reported
that the labor representatives would
agree to plan whereby all sug-
gestions and plans would be chan
nelized through some committee as
advice. This issue is important to
the future of the American war pro-
gram today but the public has
hardly grasped what has been 60
Ing on. Even the Tolan Commit
tee IN Congress, which deals with
migration of labor in defense, went
on record January in a letter to
the o. P. M. favoring a Joint in
dustry-labor council with full power
to operate the big auto industry.
There are many persons here who
have no particular or general SYM
pathy with Communism, but who be-
lieve that workers committees
should be organized to handle de-
fense problems even to the point of
awarding contracts jointly with
manufacturers. Management of
American industry resents any sug-
gestion that responsibility for op-
Grafton shall be divided. If the
managers of the auto industry were
incompetent it would be a different
story but they constitute the No. l
executives in the record of American
industrial efficiency. If they have
not curtailed production sooner, it
Is not because of their lack of knowl-
edge of what had to be done but
lack OF instructions from the Gov-
ernment agencies ordering such a
step to be taken.
Board Drift Foreseen.
Meanwhile, the new War Labor
Board personnel has not yet been
announced but the drift is toward
the appointment of individuals
known to be friendly to the main
tenance of membership idea of
unions. This is one reason why the
Federal Shipbuilding g.. Drydock
Co., has just received back the plant
which had been taken from it by