The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-09-21
FRmAY- y. d. 10.
"FAIR AND REASONABLE"
"a eCRIPPs-HowARD NEWSPAPER

THE winant board report Is an indictment
Il Of conditions in the textile industry.
More important. 10 is in effect. an Indictment
Of NRA AS such It probably will hasten the
expected supplanting of NRA by the depart
ment Of labor, federal trade commission and
special labor boards under the supreme ma
tional labor relations board.
By recommending such machinery, the
wInant board would remove virtually all ma
jor functions Of NRA in the textile industry.
Significant. President Roosevelt praises
this as a wholly fair and reasonable ap-
proach."
This report does not grant the strikers de-
mands But it does in most instances sup
port the strikers charges Of deplorable condi-
tions. It's entire purport is a denial of the
employers and NRAs argument that the
workers have or can obtain adequate relief
or justice under the NRA company dominated
setup
Here are some Of its findings:
Labor conditions in the cotton textile in
dustry for number of years have been far
below those of the average American in
dustry"
"An through this period Cthe NRA period
up to last May there we're developing the
seeds which finally grew into the present con-
flict"
The NRA settlement by which the
Cearlier) strike order was countermanded on
June ? did not. in the opinion of this board.
go to the roots of the difficulty"
Section IA gives to employees the
right to organize and bargain collectively;
it imposes a correlative duty on employers to
recognize any individual or organization
chosen as the representatives of their en-
ployes. and to make every reasonable effort to
reach a collective agreement with such repre-
sentatives"
To assure harmony of principle in deal
ing with section Ia" this board recommends
a new textile labor board subject to review by
the national labor relations board-whch has
recently ruled in favor Of exclusive majority
representation for collective bargaining in
proper industrial units
With reference to the handing of COM
plants Cunder NRA) the principle of
investigation by management of complaints
made by workers against management can
not be defended from any standpoint con-
sistent with the principles on which the re-
covery act is founded"
"A reduction in the weekly standard of
bours would not, under present conditions.
lessen the amount of time worked; for the
industry is not now furnishing even thirty
hours of work per week"
without wishing to question the accuracy
Of these CNfA) statistics. the human inter-
ests involved are so vital that we believe a
more thorough investigation. going to origi-
nal sources. is called for"
1T is clear to the board both from the
complaints of the workers and from independ-
ent investigation by impartial experts. that
there has in the months following the adop-
ton Of the code been a materially increased
use of the stretchout system"
On the basis of these findings, the winant
board recommends:
l. For the more adequate protection of
labOr's rights" creation of an independent tex
tile labor board subject to review by the
national labor relations board.
? In order to obtain necessary data" in
vestigation by the labor department and fed
eral trade commission.
J. ENI the Pun poSt % tie use Oh
the stTetchout system" creation of an authori-
tative special board under the impartial tex
tile labor board
4 Classification of occupations by the labor
department to enforce provisions preventing
employers from reducing skilled workers to
lower minimum wage rates:
Briefly. the winant board and the Presi-
dent. by his Endorsement. say in effect that
labor has been getting a raw deal. but that
labor must wait until new governmental ma
chinery can be set up to gather the data and
enforce the law which NRA has failed TO do.
That is not full justice to labor, but under
the circumstances it probably is the only
practicable way out. The inexcuSable refusal
Of the employers to accept government arbi-
tration. and the failure OF NRA. have forced
the longer method.
The strikers should so back TO work on
the definite assurance of President Rose
welt that he will use the governments fun
authority TO operate the recommended impair
tial machinery in enforcing the law and re-
pressing labors Just grievances
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