Evening star., 1947-01-13
Henry Ford II Fears Recession
f Prices and Wages Increase
By Robert S. Allen
ceeyrlsh., Is47. North American Newspaper

1.-THE establishment Of a Federal sys-
tenn of labor courts would be de-
sirable as means of substituting
arbitration for strikes?"
A. In private industry there is
mo substitute for minded COL
lective bargaining. When either
labor or management resorts to
Government aid, it risks the loss
Iof its freedom"
@. What are Mr.. Ford's views
on the desirability of legislation
requiring all unions to make public
annual reports on their finances?"
A. Unions should be required to
make ample disclosures to their
membership on finances, just as
corporations are required to make
fun financial reports to stock
holders. .
@. What are Mr.. Ford's views
on a law that would require all
unions to hold elections for ma
tional officers on annual basis and
require these elections to be honest
and open and above board?"
Problem Of Politics.
A. "Of course, all union elections,
both national and local, should be
honest, open and above board, and
all safeguards to insure their in
tegrity are desirable. Furthermore,
1t is as important for union MEM
bers to vote in union elections as
1t is for citizens to vote for the
people who represent them in gov
ernment.
Holding union elections every
year creates serious fundamental
problem, however. The leader of the
average union is forced to spend
half his time electioneering instead
Of working at his job. The good pol
itician has the edge on the wise
and conscientious administrator.
''One of the toughest problems
management faces in working with
unions-both local and nationals
that union leaders often tend to
make decisions and take actions
with an eye on the ballot box rather
than on objectives that are for the
real, long-term benefit of employees.
"It seems to me that the interests
of union members would be better
served, and relations between union
and management would be more
productive, If the tenure of Office of
union leaders were two years-or
even four years"
Views on Legislation.
@. "What are Mr.. Ford's views on
the kind of labor legislation that
should be adopted by Congress?"
A. Some existing statutes seem
to me to excuse labor from respon-
sibilities that are imposed on other
industrial units. Labor unions have
grown to tremendous power and in
fiuence. The only way they can
achieve industrial craftsmanship is
to recognize that the public is boss
and to accept with management
equal responsibility under the law.
MY legislative program would. for
the most part, be simply this: Make
the laws governing the employer
and employe fair to both sides"
@. docs Mr.. Ford think the coun-
try faces slump or recession this
year?"
A. Il see no reason why, with q
little common sense on. the part of
every one, we cannot work ourselves
otit of our difficulties. Costs have
to come down. To bring them down,
we need efficient and continuous
maximum Observation-Disclosures pro-,
ductivity per employee something We
have not had since vi Day.
ITO my mind, the real threat in
the present situation is that prices
are too. high. hope it does not
take a recession to remedy this situ-
alton, but I am afraid it may if
people believe the fallacious notion
that we can pay higher wages at this
time without raising prices"