July 20,47. imes The industrial revolution and the ensuing factory system rapidly began to deprive the workman, the artisan, the mechanic, of his tools. When the Position of Labor worker lost his tools he also lost his independence, his dignity, his self-re- Need for Restoring Dignity to spect and his pride as a member of Workers Is Stressed society. The early_ guilds fought a losing fight against the industrial jug- The writer of the following letter gernaut in seeking to preserve recogni- served as New York State Solicitor tion of the dignity of the individual, General from 1932 to 1942. In that ca- the worker as a person. pacity he represented the state before The trade union movement in its the United States Supreme Court in modern development is a concerted, cases involving minimum wage legisla conscious and deliberate effort to re- tion and unemployment insurance. store to "free enterprise" its essential freedom through the restoration to the OTHE EDITOR OF THE NEW YORK TIMES: workers of their pride in self-support. Some years ago when Thurman Ar- Despite many shortcomings in their nold suggested that labor unions were practices, both internal and in relation within the scope of the Sherman Anti- to management, labor unions have Trust Law, you accorded me the facili- more than justified their history and ties of your columns in answer thereto, the power they exercise in seeking to Events subsequently proved Judge Ar- bring into balance through collective nold's thesis wrong. bargaining the forces of management Once more it is necessary to speak and labor. out in behalf of organized labor in the It is because the Taft-Hartley Act hope that some reflection may be found recreates an unbalance to the ad- in management circles from pertinent vantage of management and will observations. I know of no more cer- greatly retard the restoration to the tain means of reaching the proper worker of his dignity and self-respect, audience than through your columns. lost so many, many years ago, that it It is not without significance that, si- is to be deplored. multaneously with Representative Hart- A Time of Trial ley's tirade against the mine operators The coming years will be a time of for having reached an agreement with harsh trial for trade unions in this John L. Lewis, there were spoken nation. It is doubtful that the Supreme words of wise caution to management Court will invalidate the more dam- by a leader of industry. Robert W. Johnson of Johnson & Johnson, world- aging provisions of the law, because wide manufacturers and distributors of they deal with economic issues which are translated into political action, not medical supplies, bandages, etc., in ad- clearly violative of constitutional safe- dressing the labor relations forum of guards. Some of the extreme sections Catholic University in Washington on will be outlawed, but the bill as a July 9, warned that "the task of restor- whole must remain the subject of po- ing dignity to workers rests squarely litical attack through legislative chan- upon management." nels and intelligent labor-management Cause Championed statesmanship in the industrial arena. It is heartening, at a time when the As in the case of the reactionary National Association of Manufacturers, British Trades Union Act of 1926, the protagonists of "free enterprise," seek Taft-Hartley Bin must be a constant to liquidate government activity in aid target for modification and ultimately of decent standards of work, wages and for repeal. It is to be hoped that the living, to find a leader of industry American worker will not have to wait championing the cause of intelligent so long nor to resort to the political capitalism: philosophy of a strictly labor party to "The time has come to accept the achieve the desired result. truth that those who earn less than a Management has had its warning subsistence living are a liability to from one of its leaders. Let us hope society. Modern society must pay this that it will exercise intelligent fore- bill, either through subsidies, grants-in- sight in dealing with labor without aid, or social loss through destitution. resort to the provisions of the new law. As business, meaning the national HENRY EPSTEIN. economy, must pay this bill anyway, New York, July 15, 1947. why not pay it at the source through ATLAS HOLDING THE GLOBE- adequate wage-hour legislation?" RADIO CITY What Mr. Johnson understands, and what advocates of the Taft-Hartley Halt, passers-by-and mark it well! Law and the National Association of The world he holds is but a shell; Manufacturers philosophers do not Steel hoops the wind is whistling comprehend, is the need to restore "the through- dignity of the workers," the self- And pray this portent isn't true! respect of self-support and pride in DOYLE HENNESSY. occupation which have been lost in a gradual process of erosion resulting from the, industrial revolution. The trade union movement is the worker's own attempt to re-establish his position of self-respect, self-support and dig< nity in the community of man. "Free enterprise" might have been free when the worker owned all the tools of his trade and sold his services or the product of his work with his tools on an open market in a freely competitive society.