The Omaha guide., 1947-08-30
LABoe PROGRAM
AGAINST INTOLERANCE
BY John W. Gibson
Assistant Secretary Of Labor

The Commission holds to the
faith that if people " exposed to
the inner truth Of the life Of a
particular group, they will gradu-
ally build up respect for and un-
derstanding Of it.n
The above quotation is taken
from the recent report of the dis
tinguished Commission on Free
dom Of the Press headed by Rob
ert M. Hutchins, Chancellor, Uni
versity of Chicago. In the Com
mission report it applied, OF
course. to the factual, and repre-
sentative portrayals of social and
ethnic groups. But even out of
context this particular statement
has pertinent application to the
problems and responsibilities Of
the labor movement in connection
with religious and racial tolerance
We have spoken a lot of gener-
alities about racial pre1udices
and religious intolerance in the
labor movement; some brave
words have been uttered; count
less resolutions have been passed;
here and there some progress has
been made On cannot help but
wonder, however, how much, in
terms of the practical, work-a-day
world of the trade union member,
it all means.
A Negro member of the JAW,
telling his story in the April 1947
issue of Ammunition, organ TO the
educational department Of that
union, thinks that workers, when
they go into the plant, bring
their prejudices with Them But,
he adds, "in our union they learn"
In his shop, he felt, the program
of the fair practices committee
was taking hold, down in the
hearts Of men SnG women"
Is this a widespread or even
fairly frequent experience? I
doubt it. The organized labor
movement currently constitutes
about is per cent of the adult pop
ulation and it is reasonable to as
sumo that it carries within it a
replica of he pattern of think
ing which characterizes the popu-
lation as a whole. If this is true
then we do indeed bring our pre-
JUDGES with us not only into our
plants but into our stores, offices
school rooms, and other places of
work. And the resolutions, while
they indicate the fundamental de-
cency and progressivism of labor
movement cannot alone fulfill
their objective.
We must implement the resolu-
tions with a painstaking and
workable program. We start with
one advantage: the character of
unions themselves. While union
members may be subject to the
many racial and religious preju-
dices of the general adult popu-
%lation, they are the most highly
organized and most enduring seq
ment of the population: they
meet regularly, they are banded
together for a common objective
and purpose, they too have the
benefit of well-established means
of communication.
I suggest only the broad out
lines of a program which is flex-
ible enough to be adaptable 70
local needs. I start with the pre-
mise that an effort to combat
and eventually to eradicate racial
and religious prejudice in the
labor movement must be a part
of the general program for work
ers' education. Workers educa-
ton classes which present, objec-
lively and accurately, interesting
lectures on the following general
subjects should be developed in
every locality:
l.. The contributions of various
religious and racial groups to the
American community and to the
labor movement itself.
2. The origin and development
OF The races Ol mdlihl1iu.
3. The origin and development
Of religions and religious groups.
4. A frank discussion of myths
and ISLANDERS connected with racial
and religious groups.
Such lectures could be followed
up with talks by religious and
racial leaders of the community
talks which would be built around
the economic and social problems
Of the particular group. Granted
the reasonable success of such a
program, it's scope could be ex-
! banded. The labor movement Of
the community officially should