Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1950-07-28
1900-1950 Progress Of Labor Noted In US Survey
Growth. Power
Shapes Labor

WASH HIN G TON GPA) -
American l a b o RS outstanding
progress during the past 81
years is the subject of special
anniversary edition of Labor,
Monthly Survey, official publ
cation of the US. Labor Depart.
inent's Bureau of Labor Stats
tics.
The growth and power OF
A m erican industry shaped
American labor, causing both its
triumphs and its troubles, the
survey articles show. Labor had
a difficult time in the courts
early in the century, a reflec-
ton of the employers attitudes,
Despite American labor's mill
fancy, it was agreed, the labor
movement in this country Gun.
like the rest of the world) has
no revolutionary goals and has
secured a place for itself with
in capitalist society.
An editorial by Lawrence r.
Klein, editor of the Review,
summarized these j d e as from
the 200-page issue. Another con-
clusion that could be made,
Klein said, is that ''for labor, the
goth was indeed the Gompers
century,
Gompers, guiding light in the
growth of the AFI., fought early
Socialists who wanted to make
labor a political party. He saw
unions primarily as economic
organizations fighting to i'm
prove pay and working condi-
tions.
M a k N g tn e mid-century
milestone of labor in this coun-
try, Evan Clague, Commissioner
of Labor Statistics, points out
that the next half-century will
b e governed by international
problems more serious than
ever before" That labor will
play big role in determining
the outcome of these conflicts
there is no doubt.
World War H." Fortune labor
editor Daniel Bell writes. "final-
ly gave labor defined role in
American society, and the trade
union leadership a more than
token place in the establishment
of war policy and the execution
of orders. The degree to which
that recognition w ent beyond
the assignments given labor in
World d War / is significant
measure of its new status"
How far the Government can
60 in providing security with
out threatening the independence
of workers is discussed by So
cial Security Commissioner
A rt h ur j. Altmeyer in "The
Workers Quest for Security"
J Collective b argain ing, the
most significant contribution of
American labor, has been ac-
cepted as permanent fact of
American economic life," points
out George Brooks, research and
education director for the AFL
Pulp, Sulphite & Paper Mill
Workers, in his study of work.
ers' organizations.
Recent developments on the
political scene are discussed by
Dan Bell. "Labor's full-scale en-
try In politics." he found, "has
marked subtle change in the
operations of trade unionism. In
cities. the AFL and CIO
banded together behind a pro-
labor man and have, in varying
measure, become allied with
local political bosses or have be-
come competitors for control of
party machinery"
A reappraisal of some of the
n ost influential literature on
abor during the past so years
s offered in a special section by
en book reviewers.
The Monthly Labor Review is
he Oldest periodical in the Gov.
srnment. celebrating its 35th
with this special issue.
labor Secretary Maurice Tobin /
declared in the preface that the
Review has earned an enviabIe
'ecord for accuracy and objec-
ivity which has made it asveri-
able control symbol of authority
n the fields of labor relations
i l.