The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1946-06-21
NEWS AND VIEWS
By ALEXANDER S. LIPSETT
Can lLNS Feature)

pOnQer the CnOugnCIul observations
of Sir Walter Citrine on the futility
of misunderstanding legislation. Said
the executive head of the British
Trades Union Congress and newly ap-
pointed board member for Britain's
nationalized coal industry: s'There are
a great many people living in a FOOLS
paradise. They imagine that by put
ting restrictions on labor they will
attain their ends 1t is a very dan
gerous game to play In my trade
union life | have not yet seen any
| legislation that could restrain any
trade union movement, if the move
ment wanted to act"
These remarks lead us straight to
the fundamentals of our domestic in
dustrial-labor strife. Though the
British labor spokesman was careful
not to- refer directly to the United
States, his appeal for self-discipline
on the part of organized labor was
most timely. 1t was adopted to the
American scene. If that elf-discipline
is not applied, no amount of warnings,
however sound, will save American
trade uniOnism from restrictions.
Yet it would be mistake to draw
too close parallel What fits British
Ia
does it accord to the pattern of Amer
lean society.
American and British labor differ
in their approach to economic, politi-
cal and social problems. The labor
movement of Great Britain, child of a
slow and painful growth, is mature
in an organizational and public sense.
1t shows greater responsibility and
responsiveness to the collective inter-
ests of the nation than our own.
Moreover, British labor is united
1t is not split in warning factions. 1t
is not bent on fratricidal warfare,
each group determined not to let the
other get away with anything it has
not got. Last but not least, Ameri-
can workers as a whole are not union
conscious. They are, to quote from
the Commercial Telegraphers Jour
nal, "fence-sitters willing to let
management and organized labor COM
pete for their support suspicious
Of management, distrustful of union
leadership"
This sounds harsh, but it is the lit
era truth. A great many waters will
flow under our bridges bebore Ameri-
can labor as whole becomes accus-
toned to the thought that it's rights
must be matched by commensurate
obligations, by its willingness to as
sumo collective responsibilities and,
in the words of Walter Citrine, ''by
giving more thought to the cOnse-
quences of trade union action when
it comes to strikes"
Speak of union leadership. A week
ago the negotiating committee of the
CIO maritime unions, pledged to joint
strike action June Is, reached an
agreement with the operators. 1t was
poor agreement. 1t was equivalent
~
some improved working rules and re-
troactivity of pay thrown in for good
measure 1t resembled in no way the
demands originally advanced by the
unions.
A few hours later, a turbulent
NMU membership meeting threw the
agreement out the window. The lead
ers were made to eat crow. Their ex-
cuse was that they had been willing
to bend backward in order to avert
strike"
The reasons for this wavering line
are not far to seek. NMU president
Joe Curran and his co-leaders know
the dangers of a strike at this mo-
ment and in the present white-hot
public temper. They wish to retain a
semblance of the unity SO loudly pro-
claimed at the CIO maritime confer
ence in San Francisco. Finally, they
are not inclined to vacate the posi-
tions of power they have reached by
superior cunning, strong arm methods
and control of union machinery.
\
If The legitimate interests and JUS
titled grievances of the seafarers were
not continually exploited for other
ends, there would have been a COM
mon policy and comman understand
ing between leaders and men. If the
membership were convinced of the sin
cere concern of the leadership with
their welfare, the occasion to lisavOw
the unions "democratically elected
cnoIyacvoa,,o wnu1d MT have arisen