Evening star., 1934-03-15
STEEL EXECUTIVES.
ASSA|L LABOR BILL
Hold Wagner Measure
Makes "Further Sacrifices
Seem Futile"
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, March 15-Leaders
of the American iron and steel indus
try issued a statement yesterday
criticizing Senator Robert F. Wagner's
labor control bill, contending its pro-
visions are so drastic "as to make
further efforts and sacrifices on the
part of industry in this emergency
seem futile"
Its provisions hark back to the old
and thoroughly disproved philosophy"
the statement read, that the inter-
ests of employers and employees are
more antagonistic than mutual. '''
1t seeks to regiment class against
class and to regulate their intercourse
exclusively in terms of warfare"
The statement was issued after a
meeting of representatives Of plants
employing rs per cent of the workers
in the industry, at the American Iron
and Steel Institute.
Political Control Charged.
1.-The bill is designed to control all
labor matters by political rather than
economic forces and to destroy the
friendly relationships between en-
ployers and employees" the statement
said, land thus disrupt the industrial
welfare of the Nation.
The chief object of the bill Is to
turn the control of American industry
over to a national labor union mo-
nopoly. Notwithstanding the fact that
national labor unions, by appeals lOr
voluntary membership over a period
of many years. have succeeded in en-
rolling less than 10 per cent OF the
workers Of this country in their ranks.
Employees of iron and steel COM
panies have made remarkable progress
with their plans of employe repre-
sentation, which have been In effect
among employees of some of the COM
panies for more than Is years. 1t Is
now proposed to undo all such prog
ress and by this legislation to force
the workers of the country into ma
tional labor unions. During this same
period. the workers of the country
have seen the national labor unions
pursue many economic fallacies, in
cluding the throwing out of work
of large numbers of men because Of
useless jurisdictional controversies.
Power Called Unparalleled.
The bill seeks to create perma-
nent National Labor Board with more
power than any governmental agency
has ever had or than any court in
the land possesses today Even during
the World War. the War Labor Board
had no such sweeping power as that
sought to be given by the Wagner
bill
Under the provisions of the bill
it Is an offense. subject to fine or
imprisonment, for an employer to par
ticipate in any way in an organiza-
ton of his employees or even to COM
pensate them for working time lost
while engaged in furthering the in
terests of their fellow employees or
settling their difficulties with the
management.
ANY friendly contact between an
employer and his employees. in which
the employer expresses his preference
for one form of organization or an
other, might also be considered an
offense by the Labor Board and sub
JSOC IiC SAlP4OSCA w tALC PC44o4L4Co Va
the act.
Employer Held Penalized.
Although the employer is vitality
affected by any agreement with his
employees, he would not be permitted
to express any opinion as to whether
the organization with which he is
required to deal is truly representa-
tive. On the other hand, there is
nothing in the labor bill that restraints
the unions from any manner of in
fuence or coercion.
Although the employer is denied
by law the right to have an injunc-
ton in the Federal Courts to protect
his property, no such restriction is
placed upon the labor unions. The
board may hold its hearings in Wash
lngton and summon witnesses and
records from any part of the United
| States. without regard to the conse-
quent inconvenience and expense. and
its findings of facts are conclusive.
1T may assess damages against an
employer in unlimited amounts, but
it is astounding to find that the bill
does not provide for the assessment
Of any penalties or damages against
labor unions.
We do not know of any law which
puts such arbitrary and complete
power in the hands of any board or
court, and we believe that industry
could not function under such a law.
n. r. A. Declared Supported.
The iron and steel industry has
given support to the National Re-
covery Administration. The
industry has co-operated through its
code In the belief that Government
regulation : was a temporary
measure
The Wagner bill, however, is not
limited to the emergency, but would
create a permanent labor tribunal
with powers so extensive as to make
further efforts and sacrifices on the
part of the industry in this emergency
seem futile.
If the author OF the bill had in
tended to be fair - there would
be found in it provisions for govern
mental supervision of the election of
labor union officials, for the account
ing by them for the millions Of dol
lars of dues imposing an obliga-
ton upon labor unions to become in