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Show by JameS Preston Although the dramatic Roosevelt-Churchill sea meeting has tended to throw domestic news into the background, it has at the same time focused attention more strongly than before on American defense efforts. In the light of the statement by Lord Eeaverbrook, British supply minister, that Britain Bri-tain needs "more and more of everything," officials here say that our defense program will be expanded ex-panded from beginning to end. The fact that it will probably exceed all previous estimates brings up again the problem of "bottleneck-busting." "bottleneck-busting." One of the bottlenecks that is coming in for more consideration is that of discrimination against workers who want to work and who have the necessary skills but who, either because they don't belong be-long to a union or because they can't join one, are barred from employment. em-ployment. Already there is a serious shortage short-age of skilled labor in many sections sec-tions of the country, and the increasing in-creasing demands of defense production pro-duction are making it more imperative imper-ative than ever that everyone who can work should be allowed to do so. Because of strikes and racial discrimination many people at the present time are not given that right. It is pointed out here that negroes, for example, often face an insurmountable barrier in this connection. con-nection. While the president has barred such discrimination in defense de-fense jobs, the path that leads to such employment is still not entirely en-tirely open to them. The discrimination that is leveled level-ed against them by labor unions like many of those affiliated with the American Federation of Labor is one of the primary causes of this condition, according to informed inform-ed sources. The A. F. of L. still permits its -member trade unions to write clauses in their constitutions constitu-tions barring negroes from membership mem-bership in them and specifically setting forth a definite racial characteristic char-acteristic as a requirement for: membership. Phrases like "any white person" . . . applicants for membership must be white" . . . any moral person of the white race" . . . occur again and again. The phraseology differs slightly, but the idea stays the same. On closed shop jobs negroes are thus effectively barred from work, regardless of how badly their contribution con-tribution may be needed by the industries in-dustries involved. When congress looks into racial discrimination against negroes, observers are wondering what will be the reaction reac-tion of the A. F. of L., now that William Green, its president, has is suggesting that some officials have sought to concentrate the heat engendered in this issue on industry, whereas the fact seems to be that both the government and labor might well put their own houses in order. been named a member of the fair practices committee, organized to enforce the edict against racial discrimination in defense. The problem is admittedly a complicated one, and while its existence may be traced to several factors, those familiar with the facts point out that the industries involved are not to blame. Industry Indus-try has taken the position that the "right to work is one of the most sacred rights of every individual" indi-vidual" and should not be denied. A statement issued by Walter D. Fuller, president of the National Nation-al Association of Manufacturers, says that "such union restrictions and the less tangible but realistic prejudices of fellow workers are far more important factors than any arbitrary discrimination on the part of employers. Generally speaking, employers seek efficient workers and are glad to employ those who can contribute to production pro-duction ..." Now that the subject is out in the open, observers are wondering what the government will do about the existence of official discrimination discrimin-ation in its own ranks. The army's policy that negroes shall be enrolled enroll-ed and trained in segregated units has often been mentioned in this connection, but there are many other instances that could be cited. Opinion in informed quarters |
