Evening star., 1934-12-08
NEW DEAL s LABOR
STAND HIT At CIVIL
LIBERTIES SESSION
Roqer N. Baldwin Declares
Company Unions Should
Be 0utIaWed.
OTHER ADMINISTRATION
POLICIES COMMENDED
Conference Presented With IS
Proposed Bills-Legislative
Program to Be Drafted.

1IOSIdm 10 De UrdIteQ,
A sharp attack on the administra.
tion's labor policies by Roger N. Bald
win, director of the American Civil
Liberties Union, marked the opening
today of a conference on Civil Lber-
ties Under the New Deal.
The conference, which will meet for
two days at the Arlington Hotel, was
called to formulate a legislative pro-
gram to be presented to the next Con-
gress.
Baldwin. discussing issues confront
ing the conference, charged Govern
ment agencies have not acted to make
good the promise implied in law OF
support OF genuine collective bargain
ing"
Company Unions Raped.
Company controlled unions are
recognized as legitimate agencies for
bargaining when they should long
since have been outlawed," he said.
Compulsory arbitration has been
written into the coal code. The merit
clause in the code promotes discrimi-
nation against union labor.
All the codes are administered bv
employers associations. with a rare
representative Of labor here and there.
Their labor provisions are thus in the
hands Of hostile forces When Gov
ernment boards have taken a forth
right stand on labor's right, enforce.
ment machinery is inefficient and de-
cisions unenforced are no decisions
at all
The New Deals labor policy is OBJ
viously confused. vacillating and timid.
1t has worked out so far TO the disad-
vantage Of labor by refusing TO back
up in fact what it has promised on
paper. The administration has clearly
been unwilling or unable to make
headway against the powerful indus
trial forces determined to prevent the
unionizing Of American industry"
Other Policies Commended.
In what he called "the less signih-
cant activities OF the Federal Gov
ernment. not affected by powerful
interests" Baldwin said the Roosevelt
New Deal has moved in the spirit
VA llDCl WHICH us
profess" He enumerated the admin
istration OF the law affecting aliens.
abolishment of lawless raids. admis-
sion of refugees from foreign tyrannies
and the entrance into this country
for the first time in years Of alien
visitors known to have radical views.
In the treatment Of Indians. he said.
advances have been made, but of the
treatment of the Negro minority less
can be said"
Z Baldwin denied charges by tory
critics that the administration has
censored the radio and attempted to
censor the press. He said these two
agencies OF communication are "as
free as their owners permit"
we, gathered az this conference.
represent a section of American life
close TO the struggle of those endeavor-
ing to organize for their own advance
ment or Of those striving to carry on
agitation for public cause" he con-
tinued. We propose 10 the admins
tration measures in the spirit of ira
ditionai American liberties which will
help achieve freedom from the repres-
sion of reaction ever present. Ours is
the task to help substitute orderly
processes for violence"
Is Proposed Bills Submitted.
Fifteen proposed bills were submitted
to the conference for discussion. First
was bill to bring farm workers under
the provisions for collective bargain
ing.
Others included a bill to protect
share croppers and tenant farmers
against discrimination because of Or
carnations for mutual protection;
amendment of section IA of the N I.
r. A. to outlaw company controlled
unions: amendment of the immigra-
tion deportation laws to provide
asylums for bona fide political
refugees; liberalization of radio COM
munication to permit discussion of all
controversial questions. with an
amendment to remove liability of
radio station owners for libel and
slander on programs presenting public
issues; a bill to provide for jury trials
for matter excluded by the Post Office
Department from the mails, and an
amendment of the postal laws to
permit dissemination of birth control
information; a Federal anti-lynching
law, and a resolution proposing a
Senate inquiry into lawless activities
Of so-called vigilante groups attacking
labor's right to organize, strike and
picket.
Arthur Garfield Hays, general
counsel OF the union, discussed the
legislative program and the issues
before Congress and courts. DR..
Harry F. Ward of New York acted as
chairman at the morning session. He
presented the agenda of the con-
ference.