The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1955-05-26

tBy George PECK, CHAIRMAN OF tne
Board of the National Labor-Man-
agement Foundation and Executive
Editor of its official publication,
PARTNERS
Looking back over a long span
of years to my boyhood, | can re-
member upon occasion that | was
entrusted with a secret 1t was
always tough assignment at
both school and at home there
seemed to be a conspiracy to make
me spill" what | had sworn not to
divulge
The American watch industry to-
day reminds me of my boyhOOd eX-
perienceS of yesteryear. That in
dustry, so vital to our national de-
Tense, is in a similar predicament
We all know that this is the cleo
tronic age and that in keeping with
other scientific developments, the
national military picture has kept
aStride
In modern warfare, no shell is
fired, no bomb dropped without
some element of automation being
part of its successfully destructive
mechanism The precision-perfect
Nike, which almost thinks, and
which can be launched into the sky
to find its target, is powered and
directed by many complex preci-
sion instruments.
1t goes without saying that all of
these precision instruments are
highly classified military secrets
The watchmakers of America are
in on the secrets and sworn not
to divulge them.
Yet, despite the importance of
our American watchmakers to our
national security. there are some
watch importers, who, for selfish |
commercial reasons, seem not to I
care of the U. S. matchmaking in
dustry perishes entirely.
The very arguments which would |
be most convincing against permit |
ting an increase over the more than
81 percent of Swiss watches that |
come into this country annually
The details concerning the use of
Matchmaking precision skills in ma
lOnal dcfenSe-cannOt be divulgcd |
because military secrecy fOrbids it.
This is a strange paradox and
makes it extremely important that
every American understand the
situation. Secretary of Defense
Charles E. Wilson, has made it
crystal clear In an open letter TO
nine U. S. Senators, Mr.. Wilson said
n part
"ln the course Of study it has be-
come apparent that the entire horo-
ogicaI industry is essential to the
base"
In essence, what Mr. Wilson in
he studied language of his De-
.ense Department was actually say
ng to us. is that the very parts of
he watches we wear on our wrists
are the delicate parts needed to-
lay in the manufacture of the intri-
,ate timing devices of modern
Undoubtedly, Mr. Wilson was
bearing in mind that during World
War II, Switzerland was surrounded
BY the enemy, isolated and unable
TO supply us with parts vital to our
of the war; and that
even jeWeled bearings, of which the
average bomber requires 5000, had
10 be struggled out of Switzerland
IN diplomatic pouches.
The Secretary of Defense made
MS remarks because importers of
Swiss watch movements have been
hollering to high heaven against
President EisenhOwer's order to
Increase tariffs on foreign watches
as national defense measure. The
President has good reason for his
action because of the inroadS made
n this country by foreign watch
He is alarmed that the
of skilled WatchmakerS in
America has shrunk to 4000-less
han half the number just ten years
ago
And just in case any readers of
his column may think that the
American watch industry is actu-
ated by selfish motives in asking
-ariff protection, please bark to
his. While it tries to save its life
with both hands tied behind its
back, here is an astounding fact:
Most American watch manufac