The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-04-18
SEENs"d HEARD
around the
National Capital
BY CARTER rlELDz

ton Is proving difficult TASK lor
William Green. president OF the Ameri-
can Federation OF Labor. and mis-
In Akron the rubber com
pany employees are chatting at the
bit SO 1t is In a hundred other
lines.
John L. Lewis, president of the
United Mine Workers, had less dill
Guilty with his union. He wants, as
Green does, to hold back the strikes,
but he set the obvious goal OF June
10, which is the date the law creating
NRA expires
Green, Lewis, and all their friends
here have the same object. II the
administration proves too lukewarm
on the things they want, they can lay
the pending strike situation on the
White House doorstep. President
Roosevelt will then be faced with the
apparent alternative of giving In, or OF
preclpitating so many strikes that
terrific blow will be dealt returning
prosperity.
The Importance of this to the Presl-
dent can be realized only by examin-
Ing the political prospects. Next year
the President, all OF the house. and a
third OF the senate come up for re-
election. In short, the New Deal goes
on trial before the country. Already
there Is the serious threat OF third
party, growing out of the doctrines
being preached over the radio by Huey
Long, Father Coughlin, etc. The@Presi-
dent Is perfectly familiar with this.
but relies ON attracting enough con-
servatives to his own support to win
and win easily.
But attracting these conservatives
Is a precarious. undertaking. The old
line Republicans do not think he can
do It. That Is why they have been
sprucing up lately. The only question
to date has been: will the radicals
scare the conservatives enough te
| turn them to Roosevelt for safety?
One answer to this question Is: moi
/ unless Roosevelt shows the country
that he is really leading 1t back K
prosperity. Otherwise the conserva
tives would not put their trust In him
but would rely on voting for some Re
publican. Which would mean that thu
radicals, withdrawing SO much 0
Roosevelt's support, would serlousl.
/ jeopardize Roosevelt's chances.
Economic Menace
So that the threat OF strike cpl
demic Is more than an economic mer
ace. 1t is political bugaboo OF DARK
est shade. And no one better tina
f. D. Il. appreciates It.
Which explains why shrewd obsers
ers In Washington are not writing Of
the Wagner labor relations bill as sur
to dle--why they are not certain tn
30-hour week bin will not be con
promised (say at 30 or 38 hours), an
why there Is so much uncertaint
about NRA.
Union labor officials would rarhe
have the Wagner bill than contii
uance Of NRA. Down In their heart
but most contldentialy, they would f.
rather have the Wagner bill than til
3O-hour week-even without con
promise.
The answer 10 both is simple. bl
YOU cannot confirm the second In pu
lie. AS to preferring the Wagner bl
to MIRA, the Wagner bill would
permanent legislation. AS to pr
ferring 1t to the 30-hour week, tt
Wagner measure leaves more to
Y done by union officials, whereas Il
30-hour week leaves less appeal to u
organized workers to join labor uniol
and begin paying dues.
MIRA and the 30-hour week togeth
move directly toward an ultimate go
which would sharply curtail the powt
influence. need for perquisites of unit
labor leaders. The government Won
step In and perform most Of tht
functions 1t would gain for t
workers what the unions now have
fight with private industry to alta
And union labor leaders are very h
man. They like their jobs and ths
bower. and want to keep them.
Hits Export Trade
Great Britalns highly success
,IY;sta IN nnnpal pofand and nff1pr 4
ropean countries to buy more Britt
goods, II Britain Is going to contln
buying theirs. has played hob W
prospects for American export ira
So has Italy's setting mp of an "A
torg'---called the National Instit,
for Foreign Trade-which Is to han
all imports and exports for Il
country
This government will beyond dol
denounce its commercial treaties W
Italy, Portugal Denmark and Pola
In the near future. Secretary
State Cordell Hull, father Of recip
cal trade agreements as means
lowering economic barriers, has BIZ
reluctantly forced to this positl
The action would have been taken
ready had 1t not been for the delic
sitnation In Europe caused by all
war talk. There Is no real hope t
any negotiations short of the strs
arm methods Of treaty denunciat
will lead to results.