Evening star., 1934-05-27
The Wagner Bill.

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that already has taken a toll of lives
at Toledo, Ohio, and strikes and
threats of violence in other places,
there is a widespread demand that
something be done to bring these con-
ditions to an end. The Wagner bill,
providing for the establishment Of a
national industrial adjustment board,
has been seized upon by administra-
ton leaders as one way out Of the
difficulties. Whether the Wagner bill
actually provides a way out or not. it
at least may help solve the problem
of collective bargaining" the right
to which is declared by Congress in
section z (a) of the national indus
trial recovery act. The confusion
which has arisen in the minds Of
both labor and employers over this
problem is in part responsible for the
labor unrest and industrial strife
which is gripping the country today.
Organized labor has insisted that the
congressional declaration in the re-
covery act gives it the right to union
ize every plant. Employers who have
insisted upon an open shop in the
past take a different view Of the
matter.
The Wagner bill sets up q perma-
nent tribunal to which the question
Of collective bargaining may be taken
by workers and by employers. 1t is
supposed to lay down the rules for
the selection of representatives Of
the workers so that collective bargain
ing may go forward with employers.
It is supposed to see to it that en-
ployers exert no coercion upon en-
ployes, and presumably it is designed
to see that no outside organization
coerce the workers, compelling them
to join that organization. It may
serve a useful purpose. At the same
time it seems quite clear that If the
new board does not, in a particular
case, reach decision that Is suitable
to a militant minority of employees,
aided and abetted by outside forces,
strife may ensue just as violent as
that at Toledo tof]av
The Wagner bill and the proposed
new industrial adjustment board can
not be considered a panaeca. The
board is given no authority to settle
strikes, although it may be called
upon to arbitrate in the event all
parties are agreeable to such arbi-
tration. 1t is given no authority to
deal with wages, hours and conditions
of labor. The bill itself does not
undertake to settle the question of
majority rule" of the workers when
it comes to collective bargaining with
the employers, but leaves the matter
of proportional representation in such
bargaining to the discretion of the
board.
In measure the Wagner bill anti
cipates the strife which may arise
over the continuation of the national
industrial recovery act, due to expire
a little more than year from now.
Opponents Of the permanence of the
N. r. A. may feel inclined to oppose
the legislation now proposed. Whether
they could get anywhere with such
opposition is another question. It
does not seem likely, certainly at
this time. Nevertheless, 1t is ex-
pected that the Wagner bill will not
be passed without rather full dis
cussion and without attempts to
amend it in important particulars.
The Wagner bill, If enacted into
law, will not of itself prevent strikes.
Its aim is to make collective bargain
ing on the part Of the workers with
their employers more readily obtain
able. If questions arise between the
representatives of labor and of en-
ployers upon which no bargain is
effected strikes and lockouts may
still be the order Of the day. The
industrial adjustment board is to be
in no sense a compulsory court
of trial of all labor disputes. It may,
however, prove Of value In greasing
the ways toward amicable adjust
ments.