Evening star., 1935-02-05
N. r. A. C0mplicates Plan.

time on different grounds, was newt
able.
N. r. A. C0mplicates Plan.
One of the chief difficulties is that
the administration has not drawn a
distinction between administrative and
judicial bodies.
The Department of Labor was Or
ganized by Congress to serve as an
administrative unit, to act as con-
ciliation department and to bring la
Dor and employers together. The in
terposition of the N. R. A. as an emer-
gency agency threw monkey wrench
into the orderly process of handling
labor disputes, and the complications
we're increased instead of diminished
when so-called labor boards were
created.
If labor boards are needed. and it
is apparent that some impartial tribu-
nails must be set up to pass on moot
points, the neutral boards are abso-
lutely imperative The theory that
three persons can be chosen and that
one should represent labor and an
other capital and a third should be
neutral is outworn because it has
never worked 1t usually results in
putting the decision up to one man.
1t would be far better to have three
neutrals acting as judges.
Distrust Aroused.
AS matters stand today, the labor
interests try to dictate the selection
of even the neutrals. This leads to
mistrust and diStrust by employers
and the result is friction and litiga-
ton.
What is not realized here among
administration officials dealing with
the labor problem is that no consti-
tutional precedent established by the
Supreme Court in decision exists
which warrants the Federal Govern
ment in assuming power to regulate
employer and employe relations. This
being the case. the voluntary cooper
alton of employers and employees in
accepting Federal jurisdiction is a sort
Of arbitration in which both sides
agree to accept findings.
Do Americans want to submit dis
puteS to fair minded tribunal rather
than to engage in strikes? The an
swer Is that huge economic losses are
being borne by the country as a
whole today and yet the strikes are
not deplored by any substantial body
Of opinion. This is because the right
to strike and the decision to strike
are confused. Also 1t is because any
body who attempts to suggest that
maybe a labor leader is mistaken is
promptly attacked as unsocial DON
aid Richberg, formerly counsel for
labor interests, is now being bonn
barded because he recognizes his re-
sponsibility as Government official
to be fair and disinterested.
A. F. L. Comparatively Small.
The American Federation of Labor
Is today the largest single labor or
ganization in the country. 1t repre-
sents a small number out of the total
who are employed and is naturally
seeking new members all the time
But the question of whether small
group of leaders shall increase their
hold on larger number of working
men is not so important as whether
workingmen shall have the right to
organize in unions of their own max
ing and choosing so they can guard
themselves against exploitation by en-
ployers.
1t is not the business of the Gov
ernment to favor the A. F. of l.. or
any other form of organization. The
policy of the A. F. of L. has been to
advocate shortening of the work
week. A 30-hour bill is now pending
The A. F. of L. leaders think this is
to their advantage. Maybe it is. But
the figures show 1t means total yearly
earnings in less amount for those en-
ployed today, while increasing but
slightly the total purchasing power of
the country
Profit Is Foundation.
For it is matter of arithmetic
Just how much the employer can alb
sorb in the way of cost and how much
profit he can be deprived of without
running into direct collision with the
other wage Garner, the investor who
has put his savings in the stocks and
bonds OF American business. The life
insurance policies of the country, the
savings bank deposits and the secur-
tiles OF all important institutions are
dependent upon a system in which
capital gets fair return.
If the Government were to inter-
vene and set a fair return for both
capital and labor. the labor leaders
wouldn't like it, They object to Gov
ernment fixing of wages That's what
has happened, however, under Fascism
and that's what mistaken labor pol
icies may bring to America unless vol
untary cooperation and an enlight-
ened leadership for labor is introduced.
Employers have been put under dis
cipline by the collective bargaining
law. They cannot interfere with the
freedom of choice by workmen. The
labor organizations, however, are
under no such discipline. They can
coerce and intimidate Workmen and