Evening star., 1934-03-29
HARTMAN SCORES
LABOR BOARD BILL.
u. s. Commerce Chamber
Head Fears Damage to
Recovery Progress.
BY the Associated Press.

Calling the Wagner Labor Board
bill probably unconstitutional. -
Henry I. Hartman, president of the
United States Chamber of Commerce,
today attacked it as likely to have a
disastrous effect upon the economic
life of the country"
Il fear 1t will undo much of the
good which the recovery act has
brought about" said Hartman at a
hearing upon the measure before the
Senate Labor Committee.
Hartman was one of number OF
industrialists who appeared in the
committee room armed with state
ments in opposition to the bill which
would make the National Labor Board
a permanent institution and outlaw
company unions.
Launching out at the important Sec
ton 5 of the bill. Hartman contended
it was AN obvious attempt to amplify
the provisions of section Ia of the in
dustrial recovery act" He added:
In view, however. of the very
broad Interpretation of that section.
which recently was made by the
President in his settlement of the
threatened automobile strike, I see
no reason for any further amplifica-
ton of that section, except to carry
out the thought of the President " I"
Meaning of Protection.
Under section Ia the emplove i
protected from interference, restraint
or coercion of the employer of labor
or his agent, but it is equally impor-
tant, as the President points out
that the employe be protected from
interference. restraint or coercion on
the part of labor organizations or any
other parties
The very broad and very fair in
by the President in connection with
the settlement of the threatened au-
tomobile strike, in my Judgment
makes entirely unnecessary most
the provisions of the Wagner bill and
clearly points the way to the han
ding of labor disputes through the
regular enforcement machinery of the
national industrial act"
Hartman added that if Hugh S.
Johnson feels that the present "
R A. enforcement machinery is in
adequate" he himself believed indus
try would support reasonable amend
ments" proposed by him.
Thus far" he added. Gen john
son has not made such request. and
l think it would be unfortunate to
set up competitive enforcement ma
chinery"
Hartman summed up his objec-
tions to the Wagner bill as follows:
THE bill seems entirely unneces-
depreciation given to section Ia Of
the recovery act by the President in
his settlement of the threatened auto
mobile strike. All that is needed is
a short amendment to section Ia OF
the recovery act. protecting the en-
ploye from coercion. either by the en-
ployers, labor organizations or others.
Reconsideration of Act.
The labor provisions of the recov-
cry act should not be made permanent
until the whole act is reconsidered
prior to its expiration in June. 1885.
The bill would tend to separate
rather than to bring together the en-
ployer and the employe and would
enlarge, rather than diminish. the
possibilities Of labor friction.
IF changes are required in the ad-
ministrative features of the recovery
act they should be made as amend
ments to that act, on the request of
its administrator
The composition Of the proposed
labor board is undesirable 1t would
be partisan. rather than a judi
cial body.
THE methods under which the
proposed labor board would act are
unusual. unethical, and in my opin-
ion. illegal
The act is probably unconstitu-
tional"
BY the Associated Press
william Green, president of the
American Federation of Labor, served
notice yesterday on Senator Wagner
that the federation will withdraw sup
port from the bill If it is amended
to approve Company-promoted shop
unions.
The New York Senator assured
Green he had not made up his mind
to any amendment and that his re-
Gently expressed position on company
unions had been misunderstood.