Evening star., 1937-03-18
RAND OFFICIALS
IN CONFERENCE
Discuss Labor Relations
Policy of Company With
Secretary Perkins.
BACKGROUND

Bach hGROUND-
Remington Rand, Inc, one OF
aDorld's largest manufacturers of
office equipment, found sir of its
production plants tied up by strikes
last Spring as result OF refusal to
recognize outside union.
After long fight, during Which,
according to testimony OF "Chow-
derhead" Cohen before La Toilette
committee, James H. Rand, jr.,
made pep talks to strikebreakers,
strike aDaS broken.
As Social Security Board gdue
company contract last week, new
storm broke NTH release OF Labor
Board decision on policies OF COM
pdny. Contract 1Dds Uithheld.
BY the Associated Press.
Three officials of Remington Rand
Inc, including James H. Rand, jr.
president, were in conference with
Secretary of Labor Perkins and AS
sistant Secretary Edward F. Nc
Grady at noon today. Subject Of the
conference was the labor relations
policy of the company, termed medic
val" in recent decision OF the Ma
tional Labor Relations Board.
The two conferees attending with
Rand were not identified. other than
that they represented the company
Before the conference began, Nc
Grady conferred at length with John
P. Frey, president of the Metal Trades
Department of the American Fedora
ton of Labor 1t was the Office
Equipment Workers Council, an af-
flliate of the Metal Trades Depart
ment, that called a strike tying up
six plants of the Remington Rand
Co. last Spring.
In decision Of the past week end
on the strike causes and settlement
the Labor Board ordered the com.
pany to re-employ 1000 strikers and
withdraw recognition of company
unions.
Enforcement of Ruling Asked.
Yesterday the board asked the Sec
ond Circuit Court of Appeals in New
York to enforce its ruling. Company
attorneys have indicated they will
fight the ruling In court.
While the Labor Department con,
ference was in the spotlight today, oh.
servers were wondering if yesterday.
unexpected outburst of senatorial
opinion on the sit-down strike tech.
nique might have additional develop.
ments.
Precipitated by condemnation Of tn,
practice by Senator johnson, Republi.
can, of California, the outburst wal
climaxed by statement from Ma
jority Leader Robinson, dictated tx
newspaper men.
"Manifestly," Robinson said, 9Th,
sit-down strike is unlawful 1t is no
within the rights of any individual O.
group of individuals to seize or retair
possession Of property to the exclusion
of the employer for the purpose of en-.
forcing demands against the employer
What Congress or other Fedora
authority can do about the matter a
this juncture does not appear. Com
pulsory arbitration does not commend
itself Mediation and conciliation ant
the promotion OF collective bargainin;
as contemplated by the labor relation
act, if the same shall be sustained
undoubtedly are helpful factors.
Until the Supreme Court has passet
upon the validity of the statute re
ferred TO, it Is exceedingly difficult Il
make advancement"
Johnson called the sit-doWn strik.
'the most ominous thing in our ma
tional economic life today" He addec
that it was bad for the Government
and in the long run 1t Is worse fo
labor"
A few minutes later Senator Lewis
the Cove ~nment acted the countr,
may be drawn into a confusion tina
may lead TO national dots"
Recalling moves by past President
TO solve threatening labor controyer
sizes, Lewis said; The line has com,
when the President would be justified
in asking Congress TO consider the sit
uation without concern for the Con
stitution and lines between Fedora
and State governments.
Senator King said the sit-dow,
| strike is "the chief weapon OF tn
new labor movement that has not onl,
separated itself from the American
Federation of Labor, but from tn
fine traditions Of that organization
He contended strikes are right
used by workers to enforce thei
lust claims" but that sit-dow,
strikes are usually called withou
warning 10 employers and withou
being preceded by negotiations.
1T is trespassing and may In ef7ec
result in kidnapping a plant and hold
| ing 1t for ransom" he said.