Evening star., 1934-03-26
ROOSEVELT LAUDS
AUTO PEACE PLAN
CAPITAL and Labor Pleased,
but Green Denies
Either Side Won.
CONTINUED From First Page.)

standing cor any one legally obligated
to pay up"
Manufacturers Grateful.
This agreement was accepted by
both sides with expressions of salts
faction, according to Alvan Macauley,
president of the National Automobile
Chamber of Commerce, who said:
I'VE are very grateful to the Presi-
dent and to Gen. johnson that they
have been able to find settlement in
accord with the principles in which
we believe"
William Green, president of the
American Federation of Labor, said:
This means that, while the work
ers gained the principal point for
which they were contending, strict
observance of section IA of the re-
covery act, the automobile manufac-
turers have simply given assurance
of their willingness to obey
the law. There is no basis for
claim that either side has
gained a victory over the other"
The solution of the automobile
deadlock lifted from the administra-
ton one of its greatest industrial
worries. Had the strike occurred
officials feared, there would have been
no stopping industrial discord from
spreading to other fields in enough
volume to nullify much of what has
been done toward recovery.
Rail Issue Remains.
Another twisted knot, however, is
the railroad wage question, now in
the hands of Joseph B. Eastman as
arbitrator. He planned to talk to
the employe spokeSmen today in an
effort to alter their fiat refusal to
agree to the Presidents plea for
six-month continuance of the pres
ent pay level. Eastman was called
to the White House yesterday to talk
over the rail situation.
The soft coal industry's wage and
hour arrangements came up for re-
view also, since they expire April IN
the large Appalachian area. Mine
operators of this territory and OIL
cials of the United Mine Workers
were called together under N. R. A.
auspices this morning.
The contesting groups Of the auto
mobile industry started back for the
Michigan production points last night
and today to get the agreement un-
der way.
The labor men had to straighten
out some last minute difficulties in the
field. At Flint, one plant had voted
to strike this morning before hearing
Of the final outcome and Green had
to get their leaders to countermand
the order.
Labor Leaders Recede.
Although giving every appearance
of being well pleased, labor leaders,
in the agreement, receded consider
ably from their original demands.
Originally, they wanted majority
rule in collective bargaining and i'm
mediate elections to determine the
will of the workers. A list of other
demands was appended.
The manufacturers had insisted the
union lists had to be shown to them
before they would receive the leaders.
They receded on this point, but the
qualification on discrimination cases
was believed to make it virtually es-
sential to labor to turn over the
lists.
During the negotiations, labor men
had expressed fear such lists would
be used to discriminate against the
union men. Asked last night if he
thought there might still be danger of
that, Green said: This is an absolute
guarantee that no discrimination be-
cause of membership in unions will be
used"
Union Lists Prepared.
Green said the workers desired to
substitute the plan of submission and
comparison of company pay rolls and
union lists for the alternate plan OF
workers election because the election
plan would delay the inception of COL
lective bargaining. The union lists,
he said, are now ready for presenta-
ton to the board.
1.-THE success of the board plan"
Green said, depends on the selection
of the neutral representative, who
must be man who represents both
the workers and the public"
OF President Roosevelts part in the
negotiations, Green said, 1T was his
iron hand that kept things going and
his ability that brought settlement" p"
William Collins, federation organiz-
er and head of the labor delegation
which negotiated three conferences
with the President, said the President
"has given us the method to demon
strate that the United Automobile
Workers of America are the repre-
sentatives of the large majority OF the
men in the plants affected"
I'VE have" Collins said, "also Sc
cured the opportunity to correct the
fragrant determinations that have
been carried on
Collins also stressed the section OF
the Presidents statement concerning
the human element"
Workers Protected.
zone of the basic problems" said
the labor organizer, has been the
matter of seniority and the laying off
of workers when they get to certain
age. The President recognizes that
problem and has added his part tc
the solution. Before this, there has
never been any voice in the industry
for the human element
The President prefaced the terms OF
settlement with redefnition Of sec
ton IA of the industrial act, the COL
lective bargaining clause.
In three points, he said this clause
means employees have the right to
organize into a group or groups; that
having done SO, they can choose rep
resentatives by free choice and these
representatives must be received by
the management in an effort to
straighten out disputes and improve
conditions; that discrimination fol
labor affiliation "or for any other un-
fair or unjust reason is barred"
He made much of the rule for
handling reduction of forces:
1T would be ideal if employment
in all occupations could be more gen.
orally stabilized, but in the absence
of that much-desired situation If we
can establish a formula which gives
weight to the human factors as vel
as the economic, social and organ
national factors in relieving the hard
ship of seasonal layoff, We shall have
accomplished a great deal"