Evening star., 1944-08-05
Labor Slowup BIomed
For Shortage Of Tires

TOI SHOIlOQe OF tires
Administration Refused to Take
Drastic Measures, Says Writer
BY Dapid Laurence
The American people have Just been
told that in order to get tires for heavy
duty trucks for military use, all former
workers In the rubber factories who are
now in the Army and are over 30 years
of age are going to be ftYloughed and
brought back home.
But what the American people have
not been told are the reasons for this
extraordinary action. Only an emer-
gency Of the most acute character could
persuade the Army to furlough work.
ers at this time. Only because the
military services themselves were being
handicapped and need tires for the
trucks. airplanes and other military We
hicles did 1t become necessary to take
such drastic measures to supply the
manpower
Situation Foreseen.
But the real story Is that the Roose.
velt administration refused to take
drastic measures with those labor unions
who are responsible for tho crisis in the
rubber factories. The situation did not
develop overnight. 1t has been foreseen
long time. Thus, on May 10, in these
columns, this correspondent wrote:
Labor union restrictions on produc.
fr H,nll
duction of tires for military trucks. This
amazing situation has been placed be.
fore the War Manpower Commission
with an urgent plea from the rubber
companies that something be done at
once to persuade the labor unions to
increase their production. -.
Many Of the rubber workers are en-
ployed on piece work and, although they
have an eight-hour day in which to
work, they evidently have some sort
Of understanding among themselves that
when they reach a certain amount of
compensation, usually about $l4 q day,
they will slow up the work. 80.
No Lack Of Synthetic.
There Is no lack Of synthetic rubber,
but there is lack of manpower to do
the Job and the available manpower
refuses to be spread over the Job or to
increase production. -.
THE rubber companies in desperation
have appealed to the Army and Navy
to send back men over 80 years of age
who have had considerable experience
in building truck tires. Thus the armed
forces are going to have to be weakened
In order to take up the slack which has
been deliberately developed by union
labor leaders limitation on production.
The War Manpower Commission is
trying to solve some of the problems by
increasing the work week but this eyi.
IDENTIFY does not touch the piece work.
ers, and, unfortunately. it is piece work
In many factories in the rubber in
dustry which has caused the slow-up.
Some OF the difficulties referred to
last May have since been remedied. but
the basic problem of trying to increase
production where there is piece work
is still matter that is governed to no
small extent by local union customs.
Workers are said to feel that if they in
crease their piece work production dur
ing war days, they will be held up to a
similar production in peacetime. These
men apparently are not thinking of
military needs but Of their own selfish
purposes
Exasperating Problem.
Limitation OF output has been one
OF the most exasperating problems of
the entire war Labor union reeula-
tions and restrictions upon individual
output were dictated by depression con-
ditions so that work could be spread and
unemployment reduced Now, however.
when there is scarcity of employees,
labor union leaders in some industries
have not shown themselvs to be states
men. In some instances the officers of
the labor unions realize fully that the
restrictions could be removed but they
fear the consequences Of a campaign by
a rival candidate who might make an
issue with the workers of Just such a
set Of circumstances.
Collective bargaining has had manv
s..
has also introduced the element of union
politics to such an extent that labor
union Officers with broad statesman
like quality of mind have found 1t nee
essary again and again to battle against
individuals who make capital out of the
slightest issue and the slightest dis
sension in order to find an excuse to
oust the existing officers.
Here is case where pitiless publicity
would have helped and perhaps made
unnecessary the return of experienced
soldiers, already trained at Govern.
ment expense, who are so vitallv
needed now on the battlefronts and
must nevertheless go back to the fac
tories.
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