Evening star., 1947-03-06

sourceful. Paid miserable wage by the
employers, these workers eagerly ac-
cepted the proffer of high wages, Christ
mas bonuses, generous severance pay
which the military regime held out to
them. So Peron ultimately reaped the
reward in electoral victory a year ago.
Moreover, Peron was assisted in de-
veloping his social program by some
of the leaders OF the traditional labor
movement. They were won over to the
Peron regime Today there is hardly
labor official who does not have at the
same time a government job which
guarantees his income. Scores of Ar
gentine labor leaders refused to be
convinced by argument or bribed with
jobs, and they lost out.
In the Peron cabinet today leading
member is Minister Of Interior Angel
Borlenghi, formerly left wing leader
Of the old Argentine Federation of
Labor (CGT) with close relations to
Lombardo Toledano's Confederation of
Latin American Workers and Peron's
Minister Of Foreign Affairs is Juan
Bramuglia, once attorney for one OF the
railroad workers unions. The Secre-
tary Of Labor-which is not first-rank
cabinet posts Jose Freire, a former
glass worker, ex-Communist, almost
.illiterate, certainly befuddled. He does
not for moment endanger Peron's'
boast that, as president of the country,
he is himself first worker Of the land"
Labor Federation's Growth.
Under such auspices the membership
OF the trade union movement has gone
up in hurry. From a reported 100000
in the ranks OF the Argentine Federation
Of Labor in l943, the revamped organi-
Zation now boasts 100000. The govern
ment encourages every group Of workers
to affiliate with this adjunct of its labor
department and Is prompt to express
Its disfavor with any employer who
recognizes q group which Is non grata
to the government. Nevertheless, some
valiant labor groups still hold out
against what seems to an outsider an
irresistible pressure. Outstanding in
this group are the printing trades unions
Of Buenos Aires.
One does not have to be a pro-
found student of the subject to see
that except for q few groups this ar
rangement for trade unions bears a
close similarity to the Carta del Lavoro
the Labor Charter-under whose
aegis Mussolini made the labor move
ment his creature. Nevertheless, pro-
posing and disposing are two different
things. One of Peron's early labor fol-
lowers has broken away from him.
Cipriano Reyes, former leader OF the
packinghouse workers and now a ma
tional deputy. originally elected on the
Peronista ticket, has become bold
enough to disagree with Peron's han
ding Of some labor matters.
Support Five-Year Plan.
The labor policy Of the government
is to develop docile working staff for
the intensive job of carrying out the
industrialization and the rearming of
Argentina, under the Five Year Plan.
At the same time, it wishes to show
the emerging Argentine industrialist
class that it has the power to provide
a labor force for the employers who
are willing to chime in with the govern
ment or, alternatively, to make things
hot for those businessmen who still
entertain fancy ideas Of enterprise
undirected by government.
AS part Of its social and cultural
program, there is one other group of
strategically placed workers whom the
government is especially anxious to
please: The army. The pay OF private
soldiers has been raised 1902; non
commissioned officers receive proper
tionately less; 1870 increase goes to cap
tains and 10% for generals.
For the time being, with Argentina
riding crest Of prosperity, the Peron
policy OF sugar for the multitude will
continue. But the basic fact of the
cultural and social life of Argentina
today is that though wages are higher
than they ever were, they are exceeded
by the price Of food, clothing and other
necessities. Families keep going be-
cause In most cases every adult member
is working. When the new industrial
proletariat becomes the new unem-
ployed, they may discover that even
under Perons social policy they have
been unable to build up the reserves to
keep them from being ill-housed, ILL
clothed and ill-fed. AS one observer
remarked, they may become very articu-
late. during depression and the war
like virtue" which Person seeks to cul-
tivate may find another avenue of
expression.