Evening star., 1948-07-28
Macarthur Labor Aide
Threatens 10 Quit on
Jap Strike Ban Issue
BY the kssoeioisd Press

1Oh ~, July 1o.-JameS ..
Killen, head of the Allied labor
section, threatened to resign to-
day because of Gen. MacArthur's
statement that Japan's 100000
government workers should not
be allowed to strike for higher
wages.
Il propose to resign" Mr.. Killen
said in statement" because I can
not adjust myself to the new oc-
cupation labor policy which denies
the Government workers the right
to collective bargaining"
The Government Workers Union
has not acted on the Macarthur
letter which quoted the late Presi-
dent Franklin D. Roosevelt as say
ing a strike by Government en-
ployes was "unthinkable and intol-
erable."
Gen. Macarthur said in his let
ter:
L am in full accord with this
view"
Labor Minister May Quit.
The Macarthur letter, released
last week, has been a heated sub
ject in organized labor circles. AS
a result of the letter and Mr.. Kill
lens statement, there is posi-
bility that japanese Labor Minister
Kanju Kato may resign. (
Mr.. Killen's statement said:
The question of strikes in the
government is not an issue in this
matter. This problem has been sue
cesSfully resolved in England and
elsewhere through the formal pro-
cedures of collective negotiation and
arbitration"
Gen. Macarthur proposed that
employees OF the government rail-
ways and bureaus be removed from
the civil service list and placed
under newly organized public
corporations.
Gen. Macarthur said these public
corporations should be guaranteed
an adequate livelihood but should be
prevented from staging irresponsible
strikes.
His letter of last week did not dis
cuss collective bargaining and other
procedures which occupation au-
thorities have guaranteed to ia
paneSe labor unions. Presumably
Mr.. Killen's reference meant that l.
without strike authority the unions
would lose strong bargaining
position.
Amendments to Law Planned.
The government has announced
that 1t considers Gen. MacArthur's
letter an order and will draft amend
ments to the National Public Service
law embodying Gen. MacArthur's
recommendations
Mr.. Killen, as Allied headquarters
labor chief, repeatedly has attacked
left-wing control of japanese unions
and warned against Communist ac-
tivities. He is considered a moderate
who, nevertheless, frequently foi-
lowed policies not welcome in other
headquarters sections in attempts to
strengthen the Japanese labor move
ment.
The labor leader, who was elected
an international vice president of the
AFL Pulp Workers Union in 1914, |
has insisted strong japanese labor
movement was a powerful force for
democracy in Japan. As part of his
program he inaugurated an extern
sive educational campaign to teach
union principles tS the rank and file
and to prevent wat he termed die
tatorial control of some unions.
Mr.. Killen, 40 years old, has been
member of the Pulp Workers Un-
ion since 1888. He is the unions |
eighth vice president and its inter-
national representative
Born the son of a minister in
Port Townsend, Wash, in January,
1908. he is a high school graduate.
He is married and has three chill
dren. His home is in Falls Church,
Va.
During the war Mr.. Killen was an
official of the War Production
Board, specializing in the paper and
paper products production and al
location divisions. !,
In Washington the AFL withheld
comment on the situation. Its
unions among Federal employees
technically do not bargain collec-
lively with the Government, but
have the right to appear before con-
gressional committees and plead |
their cause for more pay or better
working conditions. In the usual
sense, however, there Is no collective
bargaining man-to-man with the
employers.
One top AFL official remarked
that Mr.. Killen is pretty solid
fellow, and if he threatens to re-
sign he must have good reason.
But the organization held off any
formal reaction until the situation