The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-06-08
WAGNER LABOR
BILL AROUSES
BITTER DISPUTE
Hoax Foes Say; Another
Says Act Necessary to
End Strike Threats.
BY HERBERT LITTLE
Times Special Writer


WASHINGTON June 8.-The
much-revised and modified Wagner
labor bill was under attack from
all sides today. "a hoax" an
''anti-labor BILL" complained the
American Civil Liberties Union.
still cause more strikes" leaders of
big business charged.
The reply of its author, Senator
Robert Wagner Dem., N. ", was:
THE purpose of the bill and the
effectiveness of the bill is to pre-
vent further strikes. If some such
bill is not enacted, we'll have more
strikes"
Meanwhile, the measure, setting
up a national industrial adjustment
board, finally placed on the Presi-
dents must list, seemed certain
to prolong the session for some time
because of the disguised filibus-
ter" speeches planned on the pend
ing silver and other bills which are
ahead of it on the senate schedule.
Several Republican senators and
some Democrats of conservative
trend are planning these dilatory
speeches.
Senator Wagner himself is dis
satisfied with the bill as rewritten
by the senate labor committee and
intends to fight for amendments to
divorce the board from the labor
department and give it power to
mediate hours and wages disputes.
The Civil Liberties Union attack
alleges the 'act will be used to i'm
pose compulsory arbitration for it
does not affirm labor's right to
strike; it does not outlaw company
controlled unions; it does not re-
quire employers to recognize and
deal with representatives of the
workers"
The union in letters to senators
argued that "the bill does not pro-
hibit employers from creating COM
pany-controlled unions, although it
purports to prevent them from in
terfering with or dominating work.
ers' associations"
1T inevitably will serve as a wea-
pom in the hands of employers to
crush organized labor" the union
said. Arthur Garfield Hays and
Harry F. Ward signed the letter.
The White House refused COM
ment on the automobile big four's"
visit, when the heads of Packard,
Chrysler, Hudson and General
Motors issued a statement express
ing fear of new labor controversies
in case of any. new labor legislation.
Other business complaints, made by
the United States Chamber of
Commerce, the National AsSocia-
ton of Manufacturers and other
business organizations, express fear
the Wagner bill would lead to wide
spread or national unionization,
concentration of too much power
in the American Federation of
Labor, and limitation of an employ
er's freedom to handle labor prob
lens in his own way.
Senator Wagner's answer is the
bill itself and the labor commit
tees report on it. The bill by title
is aimed to ''equalize" the bargain
ing power of workers and employ
ers. The large surplus of workers
and resultant unemployment Gre
ates a glutted labor market. Aman
has to take a job at the employers
figure. If he is protected in union
izing, he may be able, through his
union. to bargain on more nearly
even terms.
The bill forbids certain practices
termed unfair" to 1abor-coercion
and discrimination with regard to
union members, the domination or
financing of union organizations.
Senator Wagner and Chairman
David Walsh see this as the major
equalizing part of the bill.
Senator Wagner believes most of
the opposition voiced SO far has
been predicated on utterly wrong
assumptions. He points out that it
. does not compel any one to join a
union. does not specify what kind
of a union shall be organized, does
not require that union be aff1li-
ated with any national labor organi-
cation such as the American Fed
Grafton of Labor. Neither does it
compel closed shop.
Chairman Walsh considered these
general misapprehensions SO I'M
fortunate that his committee report
started off with a statement of
things which the bill is reported to
do but actually does not do.
In medieval as well as in an
Gent times honey. instead of sugar.