"Bureaucrats" and "Idealists"

The article comments on union bureaucracy. A small number of intellectuals who for personal and ideological reasons attached themselves to labor organizations, mainly during the 1930's, were about as close as most unions came to having professional bureaucrats. In recent years the staffs of all but the poorest or most stable unions have grown substantially. There are specialists in such professional capacities as research, education, publications, public relations and legal affairs. The position of an idealist is often a touchy one, for ferment must be created through, or at least with the aid of, the men of power, the elected officialdom.