Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-05-10
ROOSEVELT POLICY
DEF|ED BY LABOR
A. +. of L. Held Seeking to
Coerce Congress to Pass
Wagner Bill.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Industrial unrest is in the making. It
NAV mean a general strike in one or
two basic industries. The strategy OF
the union leaders Is to coerce Congress
into the passage of the Wagner labor
disputes bill.
All this is developing out Of the con-
troverSy between the American Fed
Grafton of Labor and the automobile
industry. with particular reference, OF
course, to the strike at Toledo, where
the issues are broader than a mere
local shutdown.
The motor industry is making sales
and progressing in the march toward
recovery. Wage scales are back to the
1929 level. But the union leaders. who
have been baked thus far by the fact
that virtually every election in the
automobile industry to determine col
lective bargaining has gone against
them, began q strike in the one city
where they had considerable strength,
thus affecting plants in other States
which need the auto parts made in
Toledo.
In Hands OF Professionals.
When a substantial number of the
strikers at Toledo expressed desire
to 90 back to work. an election was
held in which the employees were
threatened and inundated and actual
violence was used by fellow employees.
Naturally, under such circumstances,
collective bargaining was impossible
end the present situation Is entirely in
the hands of the professional labor
eeitators, who are taking the RESPONSE
bility for throwing tens Of thousands
out OF employment, not only in To-
ledo. but in other cities.
The automobile manufacturing COM
pany has determined to meet the
challenge by refusing to reopen the
Toledo plant unless the program it
offered a few days ago Is accepted.
The company has agreed to raise
wages and indicated even before the
strike was called that it was ready to
accede to the various requests made,
with one vital exception-the demand
that a union shop committee should
be given power to pass on discharges
and on the determination OF lndlvld-
ual efficiency or the selection OF those
preferred for limited work.
First Open Defiance.
The strike at Toledo is the first
open defiance by the American Fed
Grafton of Labor of President Roose-
yelt's own settlement of the auto code
a wear ago. Mr.. Roosevelt stated
therein that the management was to
retain the privilege of deciding upon
the efficiency or merit of its workers.
But despite this agreement between
the President OF the United States
and the American Federation OF La
Dor. a strike has been called and sane
toned by the American Federation OF
Labor in which this very point is in
sisted upon as the basis OF peace.
The right to strike is, OF course,
inviolate. If in these days OF unem-
ployment, men do not desire to work
and prefer to 60 on Federal or State
doles. there is no law to compel them
to work. But the arrangements. on
the other hand. are under no obliga-
ton to hold the jobs open for the
strikers.
1t is recognized, however. that the
strikers would use violence against
non union men The Roosevelt ad-
ministration has the power and in
f1uence to bring about industrial peace,
but the political power of the unions
is considerable. Thus, the Wagner
labor bill, which prohibits any and
all unfair labor practices, but does not
prohibit violence or coercion when
used by fellow-employes, is expected
by labor leaders to give them control
over every important industry, since
the Wagner bill virtually means the
closed shop and an end to the OPP
portunity Of workmen in the minority
to be represented in collective bar
gaining by their own representatives.
Union Control Is Issue.
The automobile industry is known
to be adamant against any concession
that means taking the responsibility
of management from their hands and
transferring it to labor group. The
issue being drawn is not one Of col
lective bargairing-for the Wolman
Labor Board appointed by the Presi-
dent Of the United States has as
sured collective bargaining under the
present law The real line Of cleavage
Is whether the unions shall hire and
fire or whether the automobile COM
panies shall retain their rights as
management. Practically the same
issue was raised in the longshoremen's
strike at San Francisco last Summer,
and 1t finally resulted in general
strike. II union labor wishes to bring
on general strike on this point, the
auto manufacturers are ready for the
issue. The outcome probably will be
the same as the Pacific Coast affair
the loss of millions of dollars to plants
and industries related to automobile
manufacturing, and the gains will be
as tnconsequential as they were in
the case of the longshoremen
A. F. Of L. Defies President.
The Roosevelt administration Is
aware of the seriousness of the indus
trial situation throughout the country
and of the many dangerous possibili-
ties involved in it. The outward ex-
cuse given Is that strikes are incidental
to recovery always, but this is difficult
to understand in the auto industry,
where high-wage rates per hour are
being paid and where an overwhelm-
ing majority Of workers. when voting
in q secret election without intimida-
ton from any source, expressed de-
sire to keep out of labor union politics
or affiliation with trade unions spon-
sored by the American Federation OF
Labor.
The underlying question raised by
the A. F. of L. tactics at Toledo will
In due time, affect all other industries.
It Is this: Shall management. with
its responsibility to owners, decide who
shall be hired and whether the work.
men are efficient or doing their jobs.
or shall this be decided by union
committee with no responsibilities for
the conduct of the business OF the
company? Mr.. Roosevelt once decided
this question clearly in publicly an
nounced statement of policy to the
effect that the automobile companies
should not be deprived Of their re-
probabilities for efficiency But union
lol - tyiH IN the