The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-12-15

| WHO
make the policies for industry gov
erning labor relations were once
workers in the struggling ranks
of labor.
Who would know il - once the
! former laborcr sits across the table
facing laoorers?
II we would take the time to
read just a little Of the history
that has been made whenever
labor has tried TO deal with man
agement In order to get a little
equity for the workers, there is
little doubt that we would stand
with the workers against a ruth
| less enemy American indus
try. Even where some part Of
American industry has become
humane. that humanity has been
strained through the blood OF
workers.
THE UNIFORMED. the senti-
read the record OF labor with man.
agement when labor has been ask
inS for justice at the conference
table. in the picket line and on the
verge OF starvation Management's
contribution 10 that record is mi
quitous indeed II you think that
this is an irresponsible statement
read Louis Adomlc'S book "Dyna-
mite" published in 1881; President
| Woodrow Wilson appointed a COM
mission 10 look into The Causes
OF Industrial Unrest in 1912" This
commission reported and that re-
port subStantiates the statement
that industry has strained what
advances it has made toward be-
ing humane through the blood OF
the workers. SFor the tough mind
ed inquirer the record Of Senator
Robert VI. LaFollette's Senate Sub
committee on Civil Liberties, 1886
1910, should be read.
The records made bv manage
ment have been abominably dis
graceful. Therefore let us re-
member that the repressive
measures taken by management
are responsible for the actions
Of men who must work In our
factories today.
WE MUST remember that labor
has been the victim OF much spy
ing on the part Of management
in years past II was estimated
by the LaFollette committee that
American industry spent about 30
million dollars in spying on work.
ers and in industry's devilish at
tempts to break up the unions
| among the workers. General Mo-
tors spent S994,S55 from 1894 10
1885 in anti-labor activities. Some
OF us have the hope that General
Motors is willing to deal fairly
today with labor A hope based
on sand to be sure II their past
performances are any indication
Management not only stands be-
hind It's piles Of money. It's little
armies and detective agencies but
also American industry stands be
hind some outworn ideas and
docmas.
|. Management has held that II is
not responsible 10 the nation for
the welfare Of its workers For
American industry. in many cases
it is enough TO allow the worker
10 nan the machinery and pour
the steel American industry has
felt that the profits il makes has
no relationship 10 the welfare OF
the worker and consequently 10
! the welfare 81 the nation
MANAGEMENT can he fairly rep
resented by Henry Ford. when
Mr. Ford made the statement as
reported by Time Magazine. on
March II. l941 "All men want Is
to he told what 10 do and get
paid for doing IT," or course
when Mr.. Ford made such a
statement he was not being an
American; he was joining the
Nazis.
THE INDUSTRIALISTS have
missed deliberately or Just because
they thought il served them bet
than economic instruments. Un-
ions are instruments that seek TO
have realized the promises OF a
great and dynamic nation
All that has been said above
brings us now 10 a consideration
OF the General Motors strike to-
dav. The union wanted 10 bargain
with the corporation The corpora
ton refused 10 bargain AZ all
You will recall that Walter Rcuther
gave tho corporation a 24-hour
ultimatum. This ultimatum was
| issued because the corporation ac-
tually tried 10 abolish tho whole
idea OF collective bargaining. In
other words, the management tried
10 make sure that labor would
strike by trying 10 abolish the COL
lective bargaining principle. You
will recall that Henry FriCk did
the same thing. that " force a
strike on the union Frick became
head Of the Carnegie Steel COM
panv. as chairman OF the board in
1890 He wanted 10 break the
union Frick did not use the fact
that the company had great re-
serves as the Genera, Motors cor
poration Is now doing. but rather
Henry Frick barracaded himself
and company behind a little Pink
erton army which NaS 10 boat the
workers into submission Tho un-
ion lost" the struggle and the
idea OF collective bargaining was
gone from them until 1893
To abolish collective bargain
ing plots lies. murder, hunger.
and open war between union and
management were the order Of
the day In labor relations. Prick
by breaking" the union earned
nothing for management but
hatred. suspicion and ill-will.
General Motors in trying to play
the role Of Henry Prick In a
little different setting " earning
nothing for management hut dis
trust and Suspicion on the part
Of labor and the general public.
The public responds 20 distrus,
and suspicion on the part OF the
powerful BY asking government 10
step into the struggle. Govern
nent has tried 20 step into this
nrfcn, fCh' and II government
succeeds iu Us attempt 20 control
management and labor sad will be