Evening star., 1942-03-09
Nelson Plan Inteerotes Workers and Gives Them
EquoI Stotus With Ownership, Is View

oNSeA A1@A S1J
wealth has been their capacity to
work, and as long as there was a
demand for their work, as q COM
modify, they were all right. But
they could at any moment be de-
ported from the empire, put out
side its gates, to await on char
ity, like penniless immigrants,
until the doors opened again.
Labor unions confined them
selves for q long time to bargain
ing for the price Of the COM
modify, but there has been grow
ing up all over the world the
realization among workers, that
their labor Is not q commodity,
but is their only capital, which
must be invested in society; that
the plant in which he works be-
longs to the worker and to his
team, equally with those who
finance it and those who manage
it, and that the way in which
the plant Is used-or not used-is
as vital to him as the wage he is
paid.
Became Protective Device.
The fight for reduced hours be-
gan as a movement for the pro-
lection Of the workers health,
but became a protective device
for all workers to assure a dis
tribution Of employment. OF
course. the same problem could
be solved another and better
way: BY such an organization Of
production and distribution as
would provide continual work for
all and thus return the question
of hours of labor where 1t be-
longs: A matter of health and
efficiency.
Now there arises q situation
which is new. Because Of the
war there is no such thing as
overproduction, for there Is an
avid market for all that can be
produced. This situation could
be used In two ways: To tell the
workers that there is no longer
any real need for trade unions
as the Nazis did. Or, 1t can re-
suit in the integration Of the
organizations OF the workers in
the whole productive scheme,
giving them equal status with
ownership and management in
return for equal responsibility
for production.
Both Mr.. Nelson and Mr.. Mur-
ray have chosen the second way.
and we all ought to be very happy
about it. and do everything In
our power to help it work. For
II 1t works, 1t shows the way to
the establishment Of . free in
dustrial society that can have
all the productive power Of the
totalitarian societies, with the
democracy for which We are
fighting this war.
Democratizes Enterprise.
It is not true that it represents
q restriction Of private enter
prise and individual initiative.
1t democratizes private enterprise
by spreading 1t to the workers
also. Carried out universally. it
can abolish the proletariat in the
United States, for the worker
will walk into the factory not rs
a hired man, but as . responsible
member Of the factory team, and
any sabotage Of the factory be-
comes q sabotage of his factory,
the responsibility and use of
which he shares with manage
ment and ownership.
This Is the greatest opportunity
the workers OF America ever
have had. 1t will be opposed,
because 1t is the nature OF the
human race to oppose anything
new. But If the workers make q
demonstration that it brings in
creased and more efficient pro-
duction, we shall see the begin
ming Of a new labor democracy
which Is the logical result Of our
worldwide fight for freedom.
(Released by the Bell Syndicate, Inc)