Montana labor news., 1948-09-30


working people of the United
States have always believed that
there is strength in unity. Secre-
tary of Labor Maurice ]. Tobin
told radio audience, over the Mutual
Broadca>tine ss>i,m III the exc ct alef
DAY.
He added that the ri>e u industrial
| america and the rise ri organized ldhnr
a. national influence have taken rlase
| together. ~ 4 result. cinplaA mont
wages. production and preiit> are naA
ut Their highest levels IN ~li>ter> hs
sand.
Outlining one oi the activities ~
(which labor has PLAYED and Will continue
To plas a major role. Tobm spoke 81 the
| European Recovery Plan and pointed
out that the labor mvyeincrt> oi thl>
countr, have led III advocating and
supporting, it. lie quoted Paul q.
Holman. administrator of the leo-
nomic Cooperation administration. III
his Labor Day statement A. follow f.
Recovery Program. 10 group IN the
United. States has given It more Wirole-
hearted support. ha, worked harder ias
It. or understood ii better than labor
ORGANIZATIONS oi Amcriea.'
Tobin added that Holman has Is
tablishcd labor divisions i'll his admin
STATIONS office, III Washington and
Paris and vas stated. them With css
pcricnccd and hieh-rankine labor poo
pie. The missions To be established II
each ii the IL countries affected, Will
include labor advisers from the Amert
can Labor movement 10 help develop
the kind oi cooperation and under
standing that j. necessary II this IS %
be 4 real recovery program.
Secretary Tabin also discussed the
outstanding lesson brought out by the
history OF labor-manaecmeit relations
during two warS-World Wars and
II-and in the aftermath oi both wars.
He said that i'll both u these con
ilicts, I.ahor made substantial gains.
Collective bargaining was cnJoNed ht
more worker, than ever before Nofk
cr,' representatives were gwen import
ant positions on government boards
and agencies. Wages were raised and
working conditions improved.
However, Tobin added that alter
World War |. when this lesson was put
acre and an 'opcn-ship' prive was I'M
dcrtaken to liquidatc unions gains, the
country wound up in II OF the worst
deprc>sions in the history OF the word
Then, he said the nation made a ONE
back from that depression Through Z
program Of social reform. instituted
when Prcsiden, Franklin Roosevelt tool
office in 1888.
Tobin listed the following as some 0
the new dangers and new problem
which Labor now faces lnilatioiar.,
+, prices. which have cut down the abilit,
oi all people who work iur a living Q
! who live on Il small or moderate ncoi1
/ to bus the necessities ii lie. fedora
/, and state legislation. which has bee
enacted imposing serious restriction
on l.abor'> hard-won rights, and law
which have been passed whcih llanipc
Tree collective bargaining.
The secretary also called attention I
! the TACT that appropriations Tor III
United States Department 81 l.aho
havc been cut TO a point where ITS iunt
%tions have been reduced in their erect
ivcncss and general public useirlnes'
He said that the department Tor all {
: its IS wears has administered the Law
strictly on a basis OF fairness 10 en-
%ploycrS and 10 the public a. well &
= TO Labor.
The departments past policy and II
policy is to preserve and develop ire
collective bargaining aud better Wurkia
;, conditionS.' the secretary concluded.