Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-02-13
COERCION THORN
TO LABOR PEACE
Meeting of Roosevelt and
A. F. of |. Leaders Seen
Wise Strategy.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

has a meeting with William Green
and the Executive Council OF the
American Federation of Labor, each
issues a statement expressing in care
fully guarded words and phrases a
point of view that appears not unlike
what has been said before, and an
is supposed TO be serene between the
White House and organized labor.
But what does it really mean, ana
what was back of the meeting?
The White House took particular
mains to point out that the meetlng
took place on the initiative OF LABOR
The reason is that the Chief EXecu-
tive. having taken an action week
ago in renewing the auto code over
the protest of the A. F. of L., did not
wish to seem to be begging pardon.
Organizers Like support.
But the A. F. of L., on the other
hand, didn't like the headlines which
portrayed the union leaders and the
President as at loggerheads. Such
things are hurtful to the member
shin organizers. who, ever since the
Blue Eagle came into use, have been
seeking
workmen that membership in union
is really desired by the Government
Some organizers have come dam
eerously near saying the Government
wanted plants to unionlze. But all
such prestige would be broken down
if A rift were developed between Mr..
Roosevelt and the A. F. of L. The
latter had more to gain than lose by
seeking to patch things up with tne
President. 1t was wise strategy from
a membership viewpoint.
Looking. then. at Mr.. RooSeVelts
statement after the American Federa-
ton of Labor leaders left him, 1t Is
significant how many times he uses
the word recognize" which has so
important a meaning in the Vocabu-
larry of union officers and organizers
Statement Urged Cooperation.
TO YOU Of the Executive Council
of the American Federation OF Labor,
writes Mr.. Roosevelt in his thought
fully worded announcement. prepared
hours before the Executive Council
made its call. permit me very def
nitely to assure you of my apprecla-
ton and recognition of the Federation
in the work of rehabilitating industry
and in protection OF our country itself,
No one can disregard the Importance
of the American Federation OF LABOR
as one of the great and outstanding
institutions of the country. 1t has
been my purpose to recognize this in
every practical and logical way and l
have no intention of changing my
point OF view.
1t matters little to organized labor
that the rest Of the Roosevelt state
ment made a very important point,
namely that the Federal Government
cannot. of course undertake to COM
pei employers and employees TO organ
ize: it should be a voluntary organiZa-
ton For, what the American Fed
Grafton of Labor wanted, it got-an
Endorsement, a testimonial, pat on
the back which will be worth many
hundreds of thousands of dollars in
revenue by way of membership dues
from workers who will feel that Mr..
Roosevelt has put his stamp of ap-
proval on the American Federation Of
Labor.
AffiliatiOn Divided.
But the statistical records show
that almost as many workers are
members of independent plant unions,
where. for the most part, they pay no
dues, as are members of the A. F.
of L. Hence the question of whether
a man will or will not join will be
dependent upon how much solicita-
ton can be accomplished in working
hours and, in some instances, how
much intimidation is practiced by fell
low workmen who have been stimu-
lated by organizers.
The present law makes collective
bargaining available to all workmen
and they are not supposed to be in
any way inundated by employers,
but 1t does not forbid intimidation or
coercion by fellow employees or by
representatives of labor unions who
come in from the outside. 1t is this
particular aspect of collective bar
gaining that is causing most of the
industrial strife.
Fairness Upheld Before.
The fairness of having both en-
ployes and employers forbidden TO CO.
cree either before or during or after
elections any workrnen who wish to
choose their representatives has been
recognized once before by statute. 1t
was in the 1926 railway labor act. Will
the A. F. of L. support an amendment
to section Ia to permit this? Here
tofore the union leaders have fought
such clause. They succeeded in
keeping 1t out of the national indus
trial recovery act when the bill was
before congressional committees.
The language of the 1926 law, APP
plying only, however, to railroad labor
said that representatives of workmen
should be designated without inter-
ference, influence or coercion exer-
cised by either party over the self
organization or designation of rep
resentatives of the other
The A. F. Of l.. wants the Wagner
bill on trade disputes enacted. 1t
has never contained the prohibition
against coercion on both sides and
that's why little progress has been
made in defining collective bargain
ing. Ninety per cent Of the issues
which have caused difficulty in the
labor field would be removed if the
A. F. of L. would consent to such
an amendment of the present collec-
tive BARGAINING law.