Evening star., 1934-07-22
BY OWEN L. SCOTT.

Miss Frances Perkins, first feminine
member of an American cabinet,
spent this past week gingerly handling
a package labeled dynamite" It
contained the explosives in a highly
charged labor situation, on the Pacific
Coast, in the Southwest, up in the
Northwest, that had been left in the
care of his Secretary Of Labor by
President Roosevelt. To aid her the
President had provided new law
and two new boards.
But this week, when the fuse began
to sizzle and there was approaching
a labor b1ow-up such as the country
seldom has seen, officials suddenly
realized that their new law did not
mean so much and that the new
boards, in crisis, could do little but
propose to serve, argue that their
services should be used and hope that
those services would be accepted.
Then, too, it turned out on close
examination that the Secretary of
Labor, left behind to meet the prob
lens of industrial disputes when the
President was out of the country.
actually had only the interesting but
not impressive power of making re-
ports to him.
Yet with the help of Gen. johnson
and Senator Wagner, Secretary Per-
kins plowed through the difficult West
Coast strike situation and got re-
suits, Just as in dealing with the
threatened outbreak in the steel in
dustry it was discovered that often
more can be gained by personal sua-
sion and the force Of argument than
by calling on the courts or using
strong-arm methods.
AS a matter Of fact, study Of the
new law enacted by the last Con-
greSs discloses that 1t contains little
real power to deal forcibly with the
disputes that are arising in in
creased numbers. Use of the ma
chinery provided largely depends on
the willingness of the two sides to
mediate. Thus it has been assumed
that the head of the Department of
Labor would be provided with broad
powers to meet crises that might
arise. However, the extent of her
authority was outlined in a White
House statement issued June 80, when
the new National Labor Relations
Board was created. The statement
read:
"One of the most important fea-
lures of the new arrangement is that
the National Labor Relations Board
and all subordinate boards will make
regular reports through the Secretary
of Labor to the President. The Sec
retary will not have any power to
affect the proceedings, findings, Or
ders, regulations or recommendation
Of these boards, but will serve as the
conduit through which information
reaches the President
X
The Naval Radio Station at Airing
ton was kept busy while Miss Perkins
performed that function. But in the
meantime the country was asking:
why doesn't the Government step
in and settle these. strikes? What good
is a Labor Relations Board or Long
shoreman's Labor Board or any other
board if it is unable to issue effective
orders and enforce those orders? Isn't
t4lCIS oOAiiC Way w NOAAAPSA e4AS wv
sides to disputes to get together and
reach an agreement?"
The answer to the first question Is
that, contrary to the popular impress
sion, there is no power in the hands
Of the Federal Government to compel
arbitration or settlement of any strike.
All that the President, the Secretary
Of Labor or the various new boards
can do-short Of throwing in Federal
troops-is TO make available their
good Offices and to provide the ma
chinery for arbitration or adjustment
II acceptable TO both sides. AS a mat
ter of fact, both workers and employ
ers are opposed to compulsory arbitra-
ton.
What, then, can the new boards do?
There are two of them Immediately
affected by developments Of the last
week. One is the Longshoremen's
Labor Board. appointed and function
ing under the labor disputes act
adopted by Congress on the last day
OF the recent session. The other is
the National Labor Relations Board.
appointed and functloning urdsT the
same act. ! he 1OISSEOTeIIlhA oOd1 u,
which handled the Pacific Coast tTou-
BILE, has the same powers as the
n. l. r, B.
Both boards can investigate disputes,
they can order ali election OF workers
10 determine who is 10 speak for
labor in dealing with employers. they
can hear cases OF discharge of en-
ployes, and they can arbitrate If
asked to do so. In addition. these
boards can refer cases 70 State boards
II it is found that they are clothed
with more authority than the Federal
boards. But as for serving as Ia
Dor courts" with power to dictate 10
employers or workers, or with power
TO issue injunctions restraining the
parties to disputes from violating or
ders, or with power to force arbitra-
ton. the new agencies simply do not
qualify.
Why. then. were they created and
what reallp was expected OF them9