The CIO news. (Cumberland, Md.) 1942-????, 1943-03-01
LOOKING AHEAD
By Len De Caux

IA
II American press and politicians have fav-
ored picking on some witch" as the cause Of all
current ills-and then turning the heat
In 1887 the CLIO was the witch" of the year.
1t was blamed in press and Congress for every
thing from unemployment to the Mississippi flood
and an epidemic of goose pimples In Wall Street
In 1871, a rather imaginary "strike wave" was
elected witch of the year by the same authorities.
Politicians went purple in the face demanding anti
strike legislation every time dozen workers walked
out and even when they didn't.
Then came Pearl Harbor, and strikes virtually
disappeared under labor's no-strike pledge. So q
new witch had to be chosen to start 1912 right
It was the "4O-hour week." That blamed
in full-page ads and frenZied speeches for every
thing from dollar-a-year bungling to the fall Of
France.
AS the work-week grew longer and longer in
war industries it became slightly obvious that there
was no 40-hour limit; and this became still more
obvious when the President decreed a minimum
48-hour week.
So a new witch of the year was chosen for
1943 It's name is Absenteesm
X
You can hardly pick up a paper, or turn on
the RADIO without being told in every cory detail
about the evils of Absenteeism.
Now there is no doubt that Absenteeism Is an
in Hoover's days. and again in the last depression,
when millions of workers made absentees
against their will by wholesale layoffs.
Absenteeism is also particularly ugly and evil
and dangerous in this peoples war, when all plants
and workers should be working without Interrupt
ton for maximum war production.
But SO, Absenteeism is not the cause Of
all our current ills. 1t is result rather than q
cause a symptom of more general economic ILL
health; and it can only be cured by remedying its
causes.
Furthermore this witch of the year 1913, like
its predecessors, is being used to up disrup-
tive legislative attacks labor and to divert atten-
ton from the really basic evils.
X
Every serious study of absenteesm shows 1t
is caused chiefly by llhealth, accidents bad hous-
ing, poor transportation, lack Of shopping facilities
and child-care projects, fatigue from long hours,
material shortages, labor boarding employer mis-
management and inadequate governmental produc-
tion and manpower planning.
small percentage of absenteeism is also due
to the responsibility of individual workers, 1t is
true
But 1t Is the labor unions that are making the
most serious and effective efforts to combat this
type of absenteeism They are doing SO by morale
building campaigns of every kind; and by investiga-
ton of individual cases. coupled with disciplinary
action, where justified.
The CLIO unions are also taking the lead directly
and through labor-management committees, to root
out the chief causes of absenteeism.
They are demanding accident-prevention meas
ures proper health and medical facilities, better
housing adequate transportation, chld-care prof.
ects and they are working with management
wherever permitted, to promote greater productive
efficiency and better utilization of available man.
power.
X X X
In sharp contrast with such labor efforts is the
current campaign in press and Congress to pass
antiabor legislation under of the hullaballoo
about absenteesm.
The johnson BILL now before the House naval
affairs committee, for reporting absentees to draft