The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1937-09-23
What a Mess!
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What a Mess!
Westinghouse always comes
about that when nation or an in
dividual acts without thinking a
problem through all of its angles
there is a fine mess at the end
There can be no surprise, therefore
in the mess confronting this nation
over the policies and laws affecting
the relations between labor and
capital. The condition probably
constitutes the worst mess of any
we have seen in the last five years
and the end is not yet.
At the present time we find not
only bitter strife between the old es-
tablished American Federation of
Labor and the Committee for In
dustrial Organization headed by
John L. Lewis; a national labor re-
lations board that cannot be des-
cribed by any stretch of the i'm
agination as being unbiased, and
political leaders from President
Roosevelt down the line are quite
unable to determine what their po-
sition should be between the warning
factions Of labor. Meanwhile, we
find employers wholly unable to
deal with either faction successfully
because of the interference of the
labor relations board and the in
stability of responsible officials.
The case in point and the incident
that brings the situation Immediate
ly before the American people in
wolves comparative small num-
her of workers but it exposes all Of
the fallacties that have been allow
ed to become part of the law of the
land through the labor relations act
which was forced through congress
by Senator Wagner, New York New
Dealer, with Presidential support.
Let us review the picture: p.
Late In August. the United States
district court in Pennsylvania issued
q decree that the National Electric
Products corporation of Ambridge,
Pa, must sign wage contract with
the International Brotherhood of
electrical Workers, an organization
affiliated with American Federation
Of Labor. The court ordered the
action as a result of difficulties be-
tween the American Federation of
Labor and the United Electrical
Workers, which Is connected with
the Committee for Industrial Or
ganization. The manufacturing cor
poration had no alternative but to
comply with the court order. If 1t
did not do so, its officials faced Jail
sentences for contempt.
Within week thereafter, along
comes the national labor relations
board with a ruling that the manu-
factrering corporation must sign
wage contract with the Committee
for Industrial Organization union or
be subjected to the penalties and
punishment provided in the Wag-
Iler labor relations act. The board
took this position with full knowl-
edge of the federal court decree. It
went so far, even, as to say that
'the decree (of the courtl Is no bar
TO the instant proceedings under the
national labor relations act or to
the making of an order by the board
under the terms of that act, that the
respondent shall cease and desist
from discriminating against the en-
ployees because they decline to join
the brotherhood" In other words,
the board took the position that the
Wagner labor relations act was the
supreme law of the land and the
board, therefore, was the sole arbi-
ter regardless of the court action.
I do not know anything about the
merits of the workers claim that the
manufacturing company had mis-
treated workers, had fired men for
union activities or had engaged in
attempts to break up union organ
ization. Those claims may be fully
justified; indeed, the chances are
that there was anti-union activity
on the part of the corporation and
that it should receive legal kick
in the pants for those things. But
whatever that situation is the
fact remains that the national labor
relations board consistently has
horned into every controversy and
whether it means to be that way OF
not, it's actions have been favorable
to the Lewis Committee for Indus
trial Organization.
Further, among the most extreme
of the New Dealers, themselves, one
frequently hears the observation
that the labor relations board has
given no consideration at all to the
rights of the employer.
OF course, the board claims it Is
acting under strict construction OF
the law. Then it holds that con-
gress intended it to take the place