Speakers Call Unions Key Force In Politics of Emerging Countries

Worker organizations are spear-heading a world-wide revolution against hunger, ignorance, colonialism, and oppression, George Cabot Lodge '50 told the International Relations Council at Quincy House last night. The very survival of the United States depends on the degree to which it associates itself with this revolution, he said.

Lodge, lecturer on International Economics at the Business School, has served as Assistant Secretary of Labor and as Chairman of the International Labor Organization of the United Nations.

"The Russians are trying to convince underdeveloped societies that it is their revolution, while we must convince these nations that their struggle is just an extension of our Declaration of Independence," he declared.

Pointing out that trade unions in emerging countries are different in organization and in function from our own trade unions, Lodge emphasized their great determining influence in political affairs, and especially their association with movements for national independence. In these countries politicians often ride to power on the strength of their leadership of labor movements, such as in Brazil, Congo, and in Kenya.

Labor unions are frequently instrumental in spurring unity in a relatively unstable society, Lodge said. Also, since they cannot maintain loyalty exclusively by Western methods like collective bargaining when "the economic barrow of their membership is so shallow," the labor unions frequently become socially creative agencies, building self-help housing and running co-operatives.

Lodge emphasized the necessity for the U.S. to be aware of the role being played by the trade union through much of the world, in order to frustrate Communist attempts at infiltration. He cited the American labor unions' recognition of "the menace of Communism" long before other segments of the population were aware of it, noting "the first target of Communism, the trade union, can also be the first line of defense."

Peter F. Kibisu, Vice President of the Kenya Federation of Labor, agreed with Lodge's description. He added that in Kenya, it is "hard to draw a demarcating line between nationalist forces and labor movement forces."

Elaborating on Lodge's theme that the trade union can be the bastion of anti-communist feeling, Kibisu stated that "The Kenya Federation of Labor is so strong that Communism is unheard of." When Kenya becomes independent from Great Britain, he asserted, property rights of foreign investors will be respected. "There will be no expropriation.