The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-05-31
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National Topics Interpreted ~ G444M1B9
by William Bruckart T1TI6T1EM
ressB Washington, D. c. AS1@=1IM7F

CdluCl IudJ vas ONoA-
lowed at one gulp and with the same
ease as the man on the flying trapeze
was passage of the so-called Wagner
labor disputes bill. The consensus
seems to be that reformers in the
senate reached the highwater mark
when they capitulated to the labor
lobby and put further insurmountable
difficulties in the way of recovery for
business.
OF course, the Wagner bill still must
run the gauntlet of house passage. 1t
appears, however, that the labor lobby
will drive it through there substan-
TALLY in it's present form unless small
er communities in the United States
awaken to the dangers of such legisla-
ton. The probabilities are that house
members will not hear from home in
time to influence their votes and pre-
vent passage of the legislation.
The bill, drafted by the German-born
Senator Wagner (Dem., N. W creates
a national labor relations board. This
body will have almost judicial powers
in settling labor disputes and in con-
nection with those powers the board
can actually say to an employer of
workers that he must not promote an
organization among them other than
of the type Of their own choosing. In
other words, labor agitator repre-
senting the American Federation of
Labor will be permitted to enter any
body's shop and organize the workers
and the employer will be powerless to
prevent it. If, however, he sought to
have his workers organize themselves
into a union not affiliated with organ
ICED labor. the proposed labor relations
board can order 1t stopped. Actually,
and there seems to DE little dispute of
this potentially in the legislation, it
is designed to establish the American
Federation Of Labor in this country
as a class strong enough to control
the management of commerce and in
dustry.
Although the senate action in pas
sage of the bill was overwhelming, 1t
was not accomplished until the Demo-
cratic Senator Tydings of Maryland
shouted over the din the warning that
the measure would ruin chances of
business recovery. The Maryland sena-
tor sought to amend the bill with a
provision prohibiting coercion and in
timidation of employees by ANYONE
whatsoever" Then Senator Tydings
told the senate:
"If you do not accept this amend
ment, talk of freedom for labor Is a
farce"
Senator Hastings (Rep., Del) was
another opponent of the measure who
fought vigorously until the bill was
called for a vote. He declared 1t made
him feel that the senate was passing
legislation "to force every man in
America to join particular union
whether he wants to or not" The
amendment was killed.
The Wagner bill is an outgrowth Of
attempts to develop through the ma
tional industrial re-
Claus for covery act a policy
Blue Eagle compelling employers
to bargain collective
ly with their employees. That is. the
famed section IA was intended to
make 1t impossible for employers to
enter into an agreement with their en-
ployers except by dealing with COM
mittee selected by a majority of the
workers. 1t was the assumption when
this provision was written two years
ago that the American Federation of
Labor would have majority In all of
the important industries. 1t developed
however, that company unions, not af-
filiated with any other organization,
constituted a majority in scores of fac
tories and plants. Thus, the A. f. of
L. encountered an unexpected obstacle.
Now Senator Wagner. whose radical
tendencies are well known, has at
tempted to give the Blue Eagle some
claws by enactment of the labor dis
putes bill and the creation of sepa-
rate labor relations board.
The measure as it passed the senate
makes 1t unfair" for employers to do
any of the following things:
/. To interfere with. or to coerce
employees, in the exercise of collective
bargaining through representatives of
their own choosing.
2. To dominate or to interfere with
the formation or administration of any
labor organization or to contribute
financially or aid In the support of it.
3. To encourage or discourage men,
bership in any labor organization by
discrimination.
4. To discriminate against any en-
ployee for filing charges or giving
testimony under the proposed act.
5. To refuse to bargain collective
ly with representatives of their en-
ployees!
No prohibitions against labor agi-
tators are to be found in the legisla-
ton. From all of the debate and CON-
mittee hearings which lave examined,
it appeared that business interests
we're fighting the legislation not only
because of the handicaps it places
upon them but as much for the reason
that 1t represents an entering wedge