Evening star., 1942-01-07
Labor Participation in
Management Proposed
Writer Discusses Revival
Of Principles Of Plumb Plan
For Sharing industrial Control


Of Principles Of Plumb Plan
For Sharing industrial Control
By Buel W. Patch.
The meeting of Government officials
and representatives OF management and
labor in the automobile industry-to
consider plans for conversion Of the in
dustry to war production-was preceded
by publication by the c. I. o. Of an open
letter to "Mr. o. P. M" criticizing the
latter's failure during the past year to
insist upon greater use Of the facilities
Of the automotive industry for arms
production, and its failure to consider
the C. I. O.s plan for mass production
of airplanes in automobile factories.
The Automobile Manufacturers Associa-
ton responded with a full-page adver-
tisement, contending that attacks on the
tndustry's war work were designed to
create division so that certain groups
may obtain control of the productive
machinery of the United States" 1t
asserted that "the plans Of certain labor
leaders constitute a design to transfer
management Of the automotive industry
from the men who know how to make
things to those who have no training or
Eoo a nSihilifv
In December, 1910, Philip Murray,
president of the C. I. O.. presented to
President Roosevelt and members of the
National Defense Advisory Commission
plan for creation of industry councils"
for the purpose of improving the ad-
ministration and planning Of national
defense production. Under Mr.. Muir
rays plan. councils headed by a repre-
sentative of the Government and made
up of representatives Of management
and labor, in equal numbers, would be
established by the President "for each
major basic and vital defense industry"
Industry councils were to be admins
! trative, not advisory, agencies. Accord
ing to the c. I. O.'s outline of the plan,
lllc uullcS VI IllC tOullIllS WOulu DC W.
/. Ascertain the domestic and arma-
ment requirements of each respective
industry, coordinate the production
facilities Of each industry to meet these
requirements speedily and accurately.
and expand production facilities where
they are inadequate to fulfill these re-
quirements;
g. Re-employ unemployed workers In
each respective industry and in the
communities and regions in which the
industry operates as quickly as the ac-
celerated pace Of the industry permits,
fill the labor requirements of the in
dustry from the available supply. and
train workers for those occupations in
which the council finds shortage;
g. Achieve the greatest possible out
put as quickly as possible by bringing
into full use all the production facilities
in each respective industry. This covers
the granting and reallocating Of arma-
ments contracts. :. ::
4. Promote industrial peace through
| the perfection and extension of sound
collective bargaining relations between
| management and organized labor.
! central policy-making and co-ordi-
| mating board composed of an equal
number of representatives Of manage
ment and labor, with the President as
| chairman, was to supervise the activi-
ties Of the industry councils under the
c. T. O. plan
Application OF the industry council
! plan to the automobile industry was pro-
posed by the c. I. o. through the widely
publicized Reuther plan, drafted by
Walter P. Reuther. director Of the Cen
eral Motors department Of the United
Automobile Workers, C. I. O., and by
other members of the union. The
Reuther plan contemplated creation of
an aviation production board of nine
members-three representing the Gov
ernment, three representing management
and three representing labor-to organize
and supervise the mass production of
airplanes in the automobile and auto
motive parts industry, with the objec-
tive OF turning out 500 planes a day
within six months Mr.. Reuther asserted
that the automobile industry was oper-
aIlnR at only oU per cent Oh pOteHtldl
capacity, that less than 10 per cent Of
| that capacity was being used for defense
| purposes and that ample skilled labor,
| machines and plant facilities were avail
able and quickly could be converted to
| airplane production.
While the C. I. o. plans, whose adop-
ton C. I. o. executives have announced
they again will urge, originally were
| presented as an instrumentality for
speeding up defense production, the COM
ment was made in independent quarters
| at the time that the desire among pro-
! ponents of the industry council scheme
was that it should become permanent.
| Thus If the plan were accepted and
| continued, labor would attain an equal
| place with management in directing,
! through industry councils, the general
| policies of major industries in some such
| manner as they were directed by the
code authorities under NJ R. A. The
| Government, moreover, through its rep
| resentatives on industry councils would
participate directly In control of the in
| dustries affected
| The industry council nronoSa1 recalls