Evening star., 1934-10-03
IGNORING SPIRIT
OF TRUCE CHARGED
Statements of Labor and
Industry Seen as Failure
to Indorse Plan.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Neither the American Federation of
Labor nor the National Association of
Manufacturers has caught the spirit
or the substance of President Roose-
velt's plea for an industrial truce.
The statements issued by these two
organizations indicate they both wish
fundamental issues settled in advance.
To do this is as difficult as it would
have been to write a peace treaty in
1918 before an armistice was signed.
Nor is anything gained by arguing
for status quo," because if both
sides in the industrial conflict laid
down their arms today and did not
do anything to advance the employer
and-employe rels tions toward some
satisfactory solution, then warfare
would break out with even greater
intensity, once the truce expired.
The purpose of the truce is to arrive
at a means of settlement of labor dis
putes that is fair, and if at the end
of the trial period it proves unfair
it can be abandoned by either side
without prejudice to their respective
causes.
Method at Hand.
In diplomacy there's an important
term known as "modus vivendi." 1t
means method of living 1t is a
formula used to take care temporarily
of a situation which has in it ele-
mentS that would seem to be perma-
nently irreconcilable. But often this
temporary arrangement clears away
prejudiceS and shows fears to be
groundless, and what was temporary
becomes permanent.
So it is with the labor problem
America cannot live with constant in
dustrial strife. Strike means added
unemployment, which means less
purchasing power and poor business
at time when the drive should be
to increase purchasing power by in
creasing employment.
Mr.. Roosevelt has done a sensa-
tional thing. AS one reads over his
radio speech of Sunday, the phrases
and clauses of his appeal for an in
dustrial truce clearly show that he
has appointed himself mediator in
chief and that he will not rely on
the Gen. Johnsons or the Richbergs
TO do this all-important job for him
And. when Mr.. Roosevelt sets out or
mission like this. he makes a fan
and impartial settlement. as he die
in the automobile controversy last
Spring.
Machinery Available.
The President. in his speech
pointed out significantly that neither
employers nor employees had been US
ing the machinery set up for them
by the Government. This means
plainly that he thinks more disputes
should be appealed to Government
mediation boards.
What the President may have over
looked, of course, is that employers
have little confidence in partisan
boards-namely, tribunals dominated
by persons with an economic partisan
ship and preconceived PHILOSOPHERS
which make it difficult for them to
deal with facts and conditions as they
are.
The essence of Mr.. Roosevelt's pro-
posal is voluntary mediation-not CON-
pulsion. If that principle is main
tanned throughout, it will mean an
end to most of the labor difficulties OF
today. For, when Government throws
the weight of its influence to one side
or the other, as it has done on some
occasions in the last II months, then
all confidence is broken down. 1t re-
quires infinite care, palnstaking appll-
cation to the facts, to accomplish
peace.
One of the first things the Presi-
dent ought to do is to ask members
of these various labor mediation
boards of the Government to cut out
making stump speeches OF denuncl-
alton and attack on employers, be-
cause it gives the impression thai
these boards are not judicial ano
never Will be when concrete cases are
before them. Attention to the per-
sonnel of these governmental boards
would help the President immeasur-
ably in his task of peace-making.
Pamphlet Available.
Also, it is apparent that many OF
the disputes can be settled between
management and employees before
they move up to be considered either
by trade union executives or even by
Government boards. Perhaps the
most valuable contribution to this
aspect of industrial relations is the
pamphlet Just issued by the General
Motors Corp, instructing its divisional
managers how to safeguard the rights
of collective bargaining for both en-
pIoyers and employees, and how to IN
sure fairness and importantly
promptness and dispatch, and, above
all. how to inculcate confidence as
between employers and employees In
the settlement of industrial disputes.
If a big corporation like General
Motors can afford to take such an
enlightened view, then other corpora :
tions can do likewise and America Will
really be on the road to industrial
peace.
Little can be accomplished by trying
to define every single right and prlvl-
lege in advance. But the essentials OF
fair dealing can be defined. Then
COlIleS lllC VA oAAiSNAASy NAA ~NNN'
sides. Labor situations are often
dominated by politically ambitious
persons, the officers of unions who
want to be reelected so as to con-
tinue to enjoy high salaries. or by
executives of a company who are
angling for the favor of the higher-ups
in the ownership group through the
diminution of labor costs and the de-
feat of all efforts at collective bargain
ing. Both types are really enemies OF
industrial progress.
Control Is Handicap.
Mr.. Roosevelt will make a success
Of his truce plan as he recognizes that
Government control of labor unions
is as undesirable as Government con-
troll of management in labor rela-
tions. Collective bargaining is q
means of communication, means o1
negotiation. 1t is not method Of
coercion of men into company unions
II What's Al