The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1944-03-31
GRAVE ISSUES
CONFRONTING
LABOR, HANNAH

>'olumbuS.-UnlonS must expect to
be confronted with another French
Bill at the next session of the legisla-
ture unless labor succeeds in register
ing it's members to vote in the 1914
elections, Phil Hannah, secretary, told
$50 representatives at an Ohio State
Federation of Labor legislative con-
ference held here Sunday, March II.
The conference was one Of the larg-
est and most successful of it's kind to
be sponsored by the Federation in
many years. Unusual interest was dis
played by delegates in every issue pre-
sented before the meeting, and reports
from all parts of the state indicate
that the Federation's registration
drive is rolling forward.
Secretary Hannah held the intense
interest of all the delegates for more
/ than an hour with a comprehensive
picture of the issues confronting labor,
and what labor may expect if it does
not measure up to it's political respon-
sibilities in the future.
John E. Breidenbach, Dayton, presi-
dent of the Ohio State Building and
Construction Trades Council, and also
vice president of the Federation,
told the delegates that registration of
voters, regardless of political affilia-
tions, was the most important task
confronting labor at the present mo-
ment. President M. j. Lyden of
Youngstown, presided at the confer
ence and gave a brief outline of the
purpose of the gathering. He compli
mented Ohio American Federation of
Labor unions for their efforts toward
winning the war, and made an appeal
for support of the current state drive
of the American Red Cross.
One of the most important actions
to be taken was the adoption of
declaration of policy on postwar is
sues, particularly unemployment, sub
mitted by the Federation Executive
Board.
The declaration of policy called for
congress to establish reconstruction
commission with full authority to de-
termine the overall policies of all
agencies concerned with reconstruc-
tion and conversion to peacetime ac-
tivities on the home front. This COM
mission would be composed of repre-
sentatives of employers, labor, and
farmers, and with chairman repre-
senting the government. Members of
nominations sent by the various
groups to the president.
The declaration declares that labor
agrees that postwar planning or its
| application should not keep govern
ment in the business of operating our
industries or to dominate such opera
tions to an extent that would discour-
age private initiative or supplant pri-
vate enterprise. However, govern
ment is the only instrument through
which all the interests and all the ele-
ments of our society can be brought
together for successful collaboration
in great emergencies"
| Nineteen resolutions were adopted
by the conference. The Little Steel
Formula was declared outmoded; the
Bureau of Labor Statistics was criti-
cized for it's insistence that living
costs have risen only "a per cent
rather than the 43.5 per cent as out
lined by the American Federation Of
Labor; the Red Cross was commended
for it's work; local election boards
were called upon to arrange for con-
venient ways for war workers to vote;
congress and the treasury department
were asked to simplify income tax re-
] ports.