Evening star., 1935-10-15
AT. OF |. REJECTS
AMENDMENT PLEA
Labor Fears constitutional
j: Change Will Bring Com
puIsory Arbitration.
RY DAVID LAWRENCE.


Federation of Labor, which has been
holding its annual convention at Az
lantic City. Is an interesting story OF
the attempt of the administration 10
line I'D labor as the first big force to
favor a change in the Federal ConStl-
tuition so as to permit a centralized
control over commerce and industry.
The rr,mor has been current for
some time that President Roosevelt
discussed with William Green. preSi-
dent OF the A. F. Of L., the possibility
of a resolution being passed at the
convention which would place labor
on record in favor Of constitutional
change. The many concessions given
labor by Mr.. Roosevelt have impressed
Green. of course. and 1t was natural
that Mr.. Roosevelt, who Is counting
heavily on labor as his principal ally
in the coming political campaign,
should want to be backed up in this
conspicuous fashion. 1t will be re-
called that Green issued public state
sment last month declaring that way
must be found to curb the power Of
the Supreme Court of the United
States.
:, But at the meetings Of the Execu-
tive Council of the A. F. Of L. the pro-
'posal to indorse constitutional change
came in for much discussion and criti-
cism. 1t is not clear whether those
who sponsored the idea of going on
record made it plain that President
Roosevelt wanted it or whether they
were content to intimate that the ad-
ministration would not be displeased
II such resolution were passed.
Face Sidetracking.
!. Anyway, the executive council was
divided and finally agreed not to press
for any such resolution. It was
known, Of course, that proposals Of
this kind would come from the floor
of the convention, but II the executive
council agreed that they should be
tabled, they would not get very far.
The executive council now has stated
the position Of the A. F. of L. to be
that no constitutional change will be
sought at this time and that the
effect Of N. r. A. Abandonment would
sbe given further study to determine
what changes in the Constitution will
be recommended at some future meet
ing.
But the truth is, labor is in an
awkward position with respect to the
Presidents idea Of constitutional
change. American labor realizes that
a centralized control by the Federal
Government over business might mean
centralized control and supervision of
all labor unions. too.
% How. for instance, it Is asked, could
the Congress be given authority un-
der a new constitutional amendment
to control production and manufacture
without leaving it to Congress to con-
troll all the incidents of production
such as employer and employe rela-
,.tionS? This might conceivably lead
to statutes requiring compulsory ar
.hitration of labor disputes and cur
failing to no small exent the right to
strike, which has been labor's chief
weapon in advancing its own welfare.
VOL Expresses View.
. No better exposition of this point
of view has been written than by
Matthew Woll, vice president Of the
American Federation Of Labor, in his
book, recently published, called Labor,
Industry and Government" In which
be says:
"It must be clearly evident to all
rght-think persons that the Govern
ment cannot bind employers into any
form Of employment contract without
at the same time binding employees
as we'll -"
Labor is justified in its suspicious
Of governmentalism. It leads to COM
pulsory adjustments. 1T leads to rules
and governmental enforcement Of
rules relationships the world
over begin with the weakening Of Ia
Dor by limiting or denying the right
to strike, and when that has hap
pened the subjection Of labor is par
TALLY completed.
THE cartelization of American in
dlstry which has gone on under codes
is familiar story in the early history
OF Fascist Italy. Are we headed to-
ward business Fascism"
In line with Woll's reasoning there
have been some labor authorities who
have felt that the railroad labor act,
now on the statute books, goes about
as far as any piece of legislation has
ever gone in limiting the right to
strike with respect to employees Of in.
terstate carriers. If this power can be
inferred from the present commerce
clause Of the Constitution, it is
worthy Of note that an enlargement
OF the commerce clause to permit Fed
eral control over businesses engaged
in commerce within State would GER
tainly include the right to make SINH
lar limitations on all labor employed,
irrespective of whether it is a part of
businesses engaged in interstate or
1ntrastate commerce.
Opposes Fascism.
The American Federation of Labor
has gone on record again and again
as opposed to Communism and Fas-
ctsm. All this has been because Of a
fear Of centralized control of labor
by the National Government as is
now the case in Germany and in Italy.
ITO American labor, the amendment
to the Federal Constitution being
talked about by some of the Roosevelt
spokesmen would be a Nazi amend
rnent. and while there is at present a
division Of opinion because the i'm
plications of the issue have not been
made clear, the probabilities are that
American labor will never 60 along
with any constitutional change that
does not clearly exempt labor from
centralized control, and any such ex-
emption would be so palpably one
sided as to lose the support of va
rtous elements Of the consuming pub
lie, who presumably would have to
pay the increasing labor costs made
possible by any such exemption under
q system Of controlled economy.
Copyright, 1880
sSLAYING PLOT FOtLED