Detroit evening times., 1945-03-12
Prove Union Charges,
Ferguson Tells ROInney

Continued from Page Onel
are thwarted nv the union sHd
handicapped by the government.
The government has man
acled Industry by weak and
Outmoded labor policies. II has
deprived Industry OF the author
ity 10 operate"
PRESSES HIS POINT
Ferguson pursued his point fur
ther.
Has industry loSt its pnwer
20 manage and IL II unable 10
manage he inquired.
The witness replied that only IN
the-last- year has industry been
permitted 10 apply discipline
What law would YOU pass to
cure this situation ." the senator
inquired.
"Put an end to the privileges
OF unions" Romney urged.
Adopt q national labor policy
that il balanced, equitable and
complete"
The industry spokesman then
renewed his earlier charge that
the unions principal objective to-
cay. as before the war. is TO run
the plants"
"YOu admit that management
has lost the right 10 manage 80
Ferguson asked.
PUTS BLAME ON UNION
"Yes." Ronney replied "to
the degree that any time man
agement tries tn exercise its
functions the unions use the
grievances To foment strikes
such as the recent Dodge
strike"
He also complained that the
lack nf a definite wage policy"
provided an incentive for strikes
and work stoppageS.
UAW President r. Thomas
testified yesterday that la b or
boarding is praCticed IN practi-
cally all industry" and that work
erS In The plants are "aS patriotic
as any one in the United States"
Thomas agreed with Romney'S
earlier testimony I ha { govern
ment bungiing is 10 blame for
many of Detroits production ills.
AS an example of lack of CO.
between government
agencies" Thomas pointed out
that much foundry capacity is
idle in this area while the armed
are crying for more
foundry output.
RESUMES TESTIMONY
Romney's testimony was inter-
rupted yesterday to permit
Thomas to testify and fly back
to New York.
Other witnesses scheduled for
today are Waiter +. ReutheT,
UAW-CIO vice president: Frank
X. Martel, president of the De-
troit and Wayne County Fedora
tlon OF Labor. Matthew Smith,
Educational Society
chief. and John Gibson of the
CIO Council.
The committee plans te-held
executive" sessions with secret
witnesses tomorrow and also
plant tour over The weekend. 1t
will conclude sessions Monday be-
fore the three members fly back
to Washington Tuesday for a vote
on Aubrey Williams as REA chief.
AGREE ON ONE POINT
Senator James Mead. chairman,
and his two aides. Senators Fer
guson and Hugh Mitchell CD Of
Washington, opened their investi-
CATION here yesterday and heard
labor. management and the War
Manpower Commission representa-
tives agree on only one thing
that Detroit had no overall labor
problem.
1t heard management rip into
labor as conSpiring in organized
anarchy" which has cut produc-
tive efficiency in automotive
plants 25 TO so per cent.
1t heard labor counter with the
charge that employers had boarded
labor since 1941 to the extent that
il accounted for from 5 to 30 per
cent of the pay rolls.
And members OF the committee
agreed with both sides that gov
ernmental bungling in Washing
ton was AT the root Of many of
the evils and most of the prob
lens that had been brought up
at the hearing.
MIDNIGHT SESSION
Not satisfied with hearing Rom