The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1942-12-03
FACING
THE FACTS
With PHILIP PEARL

membership in its affiliated unions in
order to facilitate the mechanics of
bringing about labor peace.
In response the Executive Board of
1.-THE United Steelwolkers of America,
la CIO affiliate of which Philip Murray
lis president. issued ii torrid blast call
ling us Il lot of names. The statement
lSaid we are very ignorant" We adj
Unit the charge and confess we are
still completely ignorant of the dues
Ipaid membership in the CIO after
Ireading the statement. 1t shed no light
on that mysterious subject.
However, we see no good in con
ltinuing a grandstand quarrel at a time
lwhen the peace committees represent
sit down together to try to work out
la settlement.
Our purpose in raising the issue was
mot to embarrdss the peace conferences
but to point the WAY for the CIO to
cooperate in malling them successful.
gestion does not indicate any burning
ldeSire on its part to be helpful.
A Nuisance Raid
Another straw in the wind which
lis disturbing to sincere advocates of
labor peace is the attempted raid by
Ithe CIO, with the collaboration of the
National Labor Relations Board, on
1.-THE Henry j. Kaiser shipyards on the
West Coast which are under closed
lShop contract with AFL unions.
This is truly a nuisance raid. 1t
lean do the CIO no good and it can do
AFL does not fear the outcome of an
election in the shipyards covered by
Ithe NLRB complaint but it does fear
the effects of Il bitter union campaign
lin a thoroughly organized industry
where labor-managrmcnt cooperation
has reached the peak of efficiency and
|Where uninterrupted top production is
Vital to the success of the war effort
Aside from the motives of the CIO
lin pressing such a hopeless raid at this
time, we would like to delve into the
motives of the National Labor Rela-
ll'llN i''''it III SiNi ill- II oiIiNldi II-
Iproyal
The cruX of the NLRB position is
THAT it is illegal under the Wagner Act
for an employer and Il union to enter
into Il closed shop contract before any
Iappreciable number of employees have
been hired to work in the plant con
,cerned.
This Interpretation Of the law is
completely unsound and at variance
with the established practice of trade
unions. In the building trades industry,
for example, practically all contracts
are entered into by management and
labor organizations before any en-
IplOyeeS are hired. In fact, the union
IiS the employment agency for the
workers. 1t supplies the men after the
contract is signed. The same practice
Iis employed frequently in the metal
trades. And even The maritime unions
follow it through their hiring halls.
An Axis Victory
Thus the NIRB is striking blow at
fundamental trade union procedures
when it haulS Henry j. Kaiser up on
the carpet and accuses him of unfair
labor practices When he has only com
piled with the fair and just demands
of democratic trade unions.
The suspicion That the NLRB is try.
ing TO change The form and structure
of American trade unions by mlsinter-
pretationS of the National Labor Rcla-
IitnS \.t iN .,,tit.,,,l Inv - i'm,
this case.
1t would be different if Mr.. Kaiser
were Il tough, oppressive employer.
But his workers and the unions that
represent them testify he is Il model
employer. He has gone the limit in
with labor. He has instiIl-
Icd IN enthusiastic, cooperative spirit
.HmOng his men. They are producing
for him as perhaps no other compar-
able group Of workers are producing
for any other war induStrialiSt.
No wonder that President Green de
nounccd the board's action in this case
as the "outstauding AXIS Victory of
the month";
1t is significant that the protests of
the American Federation of Labor are
echoed by practically every agency in
the Federal Government concerned
with the war effort. Representatives
of the Maritime Commission, the Labor
Department, the War Production
Board and other Key agencies tried in
vain TO prevail upon the unrealiSIic
members of the NLRB not 10 issue
the complaint ugainst Mr.. Kaiser.
But these burcaucratS apparently are
indifferent to amy considerations be
yond their own determination to re
shape the labor movement according
TO their own prcconceiNed ideas. Their
predecessors also made the same mis-
take. They are now out of public life.