Evening star., 1948-02-01

earners a program similar to tt
Extension Service for the familie:
Of six million farm operators.
The Congress of Industrial Organ
izations, the American Federation
Of Labor, the railroad brotherhood!
and independent unions have in
dorsed the plan, which would bene,
fit unorganized as well as organized
workers.
The Senate bill was introduced
by Senators Thomas, Democrat, o.
Utah and Morse, Republican, o.
oregon, and the counterpart in thu
House by Representatives Madden
Democrat, of Indiana and Toilet
son, Republican, of Washington
Some observers think the bill viii
have the support of a number o.
Congressmen who voted for thu
Taft Hartley Act and wish to IRE,
deem" themselves in the eyes ol
the labor voters.
How 1t Would Work
Most of those favoring the bill viii
be satisfied if they can obtain pas
sage in the present session, leav-
ing appropriations until later. Pre-
viously they had intended asking
for $10,OO0,O00 the first year
$4,000, 900 the second and $40, 600, ,00(
each year thereafter. Farm exten-
sion services cost the Federal Gov
ernment about 100000 annually
Perhaps because Of its relatively
noncontroversial nature the leg
islation has received little public
attention, though the labor unions
especially the CIO, have been active
in promoting it.
In explaining the bill recently
Mr.. Tollefsus .ald that through 1t
abor is asking for better access to
nd more training in the use OF the
.lodern tools of facts and reason.
This" he said, will promote
7rderly collective bargaining and
eaceful industrial relations. 1t
will likewise promote wider and
wiser exercise of the rights and
responsibilities of citizenship in the
ommunity, State and Nation
The measure provides that the
,rvice will be set up in the Labor
department. and administered by
he Secretary of Labor. The spon-
sors are insistent that the United
States Office of Education get no
part of it. The Federal Govern
.nent would grant up to rs per cent
Of the cost of projects.
Instruction would be given at
times and places. such as union
nails, convenient for wage and SAL
aly earners. Teachers for the most
;1art would be drawn from coop
Grating colleges and universities.
The general schedule of courses,
l,ased on specific requests from
workers, would be something like
lis:
Two Levels Contemplated
Economic problems of American
industry, economics of individual
industries, labor legislation and law,
social security. collective bargaining
history OF the labor movement as
related to economic and political
history, consumers problems, cur
rent national and international
events, health and safety, Govern
ment, community programs, public
speaking, shop steward training,
time and motion studies, grievance
procedures and techniques of work.
ers' education.
Services would include workshops
for various types of writing, re-
search projects, exhibits, pictorial
material, conferences, library serv-
ices, motion pictures and occasional
speakers.
Both Federal and State levels are
contemplated in the scheme of ad-
ministration. Th( SzSsram would
be administered from Washington
by a directsr responsible to the Sec
retarv of LAoor and appointed by
the President with the advice and
consent of the Senate. The dlrec-
tor would have as advisers Ma
tional Labor Extension Council Of
Is members, a majority chosen by
the Secretary of Labor from a
panel submitted by BONA -flde ma
tional lah,~ organizations. The re-
naming members would be appoint
ed by the Secretary from cooper
ating schools, social science research
agencies ana from organizations in
the field of workers education.
In each State a similar board,
of from 9 to Is members, would
be appointed by the Governor from
panel submitted by Statewide
labor organizations and other rep
resentatives from the same fields as
those on the national board.
Unions Dissatisfied
The cooperating institutions
would be selected by the State
boards following local requests from
groups of workers. The institu-
tions would have to meet standards
set up by the Labor Department.
At present many unions have ed
ucation departments and a number
of universities sponsor workers ed
ucation programs through their ex-
tension divisions, but the unions
protest that these services answer
only small part of workers re-
quests. If the bill does not become
law some unions are prepared to
expand their educational programs
despite the feeling in many union
quarters that such labor schools
frequently fall under the control
of left-wing elements. This factor