MANAGEMENT: G.E. v. the Reds

After years of trying to deal with Communist employees through the National Labor Relations Board, giant General Electric Co. is getting tough on its own hook. Before a Senate subcommittee on internal security last week, Vice President Lemuel R. (for Ricketts) Boulware announced that G.E. has already suspended (with pay) 17 of its employees who ducked behind the Fifth Amendment when asked about their Communist connections by congressional committees. The 17, said Boulware, have 90 days in which to clear themselves by answering the questions or by getting a clean bill of health from the Government. If they fail to do so, they will be fired. Boulware noted that of the 17, eight belong to the Red-led independent union, the United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers of America, five are in the C.I.O. International Union of Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers (two more are within its jurisdiction), while two belong to A.F.L. unions.