Evening star., 1934-04-23
PLANS PERMANENT.
COURT FOR LABOR
Roosevelt Group Revises
Wagner Bill to Give
Greater Power.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt moved today to
strike a death blow at labor contro-
versies troubling the Government
nerve centers.
Forced to take over personally an
other industrial dispute. the railroad
wage controversy, he feels that the
time has come for establishment Of a
permanent court to settle the many
labor disputes.
Acting n advance of most Capital
expectations. Mr.. Roosevelt was dis
closed to have a committee already
quietly at work on revision OF the
Wagner Labor Board bill.
Changes are being made in the set
up of the proposed permanent Labor
Board. Members of the committee
said its powers are being strengthened.
rather than weakened.
Attention also is being directed to
the unfair labor practices" as out
lined in the Wagner measure. These
drew most of the criticism aimed at
the measure in recent Senate hearings.
Those appointed by the Chief Exc
cutive to whip the measure into shape
acceptable both to the White House
and Congress include Secretary Of
Labor Perkins, Recovery Administra-
tor Hugh S. johnson. Relief Admin
istrator Harry Hopkins. Donald Rich
berg, N. r. A. counsel, and Senator
Wagner, Democrat, of New York, au-
thor of the bill.
Eastman Quits as Umpire.
The group has been working Sc
cretly on the bill since last Friday
when a White House conference was
held.
The issue was climaxed by the re-
tirement Saturday of Joseph B. East
main, rail co-ordinator, as special UNI
pire in the railroad wage argument.
Railway managers and labor leaders
each accuse the others for failure to
reach a decision. Both have placed
their cases before the bar of public
opinion.
Eastman stepped aside definitely
when the labor heads refused to ac-
cept the Presidents proposal for a
six-month extension beyond July l OF
the existing 10 per cent deduction
agreement.
Since enactment of some form of
Labor Board bill would take weeks at
best, Mr.. Roosevelt is seriously con-
sidering appointment of special COM
mission of inquiry to determine the
facts.
The Board of Mediation of the rail-
road labor act also stands available
as an instrument of arbitration. There
is every possibility that either the
managers Or labor will invoke this
agency.
As the heads Of unions of the vari-
GUS large railroad systems assembled
today to consider the next move, sew
eral courses stood open.
The avenues included Government
mediation. vote by the members of
the 81 standard" unions on their
wishes and finally, but considered un-
likely, a strike vote
Mr.. Roosevelt himself made ar
rangements for an early meeting with
Senator Wagner.
Hope to Avoid Controversy.
Word has come from within the
group revising his bill that by alter
ing its language it is hoped to get a
measure that could be showed through
Congress without too much contro-
versy.
One of the chief revisions, It was
indicated, would be in the language
which sought to make it an unfair
labor practice for a company to "ini-
tiate" or participate" in formation
of a union.
Wagner has consistently said he did
not desire to outlaw all company
unions, and conceded some were
worthy. He has, however, insisted
workers should be free to choose their
own organizations.
Another change in the bill under
consideration by the administration
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