Evening star., 1937-06-18

employe representative and one neu-
trail a composition which frequently
produces deadlock and a decision by
one man.
In this instance, all three media
tors have about the same point Of
view. They are friendly to labor, but
they know that unless they can give
assurances to capital, no mediation
board in the future and no Govern
ment tribunal will ever do the job.
Roosevelt Dodges Issue.
There is real significance in the
fact that when the Governor Of Ohio
appealed to President Roosevelt for
Federal intervention, Mr.. Roosevelt
side-stepped the issue of personal
mediation and appointed board.
negotiation, he would have been con-
fronted by the political as we'll as
the economic aspects of the dispute
Had he sided with one or the other
parties, he would have been accused
of partisanship and the issue itself
NO0lu ilot 1SoIiy NC 4SSOIfCo
AS matters stand today, the Presi-
dent has passed the buck, so to speak,
to three skillful mediators, and if
they can't settle the steel strike, no.
body outside the two parties to the
dispute in bitter-end fight could
ever do it.
It is important to take notice of
the background of the three media
tors. Charles P. Taft is a liberal He
inherits the breadth of view which
his father, the late President and
Chief Justice, exhibited in labor mat
ters. 1t will be recalled that, on the
National War Labor Board, Mr.
Tafts decisions again and again dis
appointed the employers and pleased
the late Samuel Gompers, the great
labor leader, who sat at his side on
the board.
Adviser to Landon.
Charlie" Taft, as he is familiarly
known nowadays in Ohio politics, has
liberal. He was one of number of
advisers to Gov. Landon in the last
campaign and won the enmity of
some Of the conservative groups be-
cause Of his insistence on a liberal
and progressive campaign.
Lloyd K. Garrison, second member
Of the new board, used to be chair
man of the National Labor Relations
Board and recently, in an impromptu
speech in Chicago, surprised many
New Dealers by his outspoken de-
nunciation of the "sitdoWn' strike
as being beyond any question illegal.
Edward F. McGrady. the third
Labor and one of the best mediators
In the whole field of LABOR relations.
He used to be vice president of the
American Federation of Labor. He
is on good terms with John Lewis and
almost everybody else hereabouts and
has frequently been suggested even by
employers as perhaps the best person
to flll the position of Secretary Of
Labor. something that has not par
ticularly endeared him to the present
Secretary of Labor.
Want Definite Assurance.
Now, all three of these mediators
know exactly what the issues are
They know precisely why the steel
companies do not want to sign con-
tracts, and they know also that the
steel companies probably will be glad
to sign contracts if they can get Ger
tain assurances and safeguards that
will have back of them greater pres
tige and sanction than signature
Of c. I. o. labor union, especially
since the demonstration of labor in
Michigan that a signed contract is
only scrap of paper.
The way is opened to a solution by
the wording of the administrative
order issued by Secretary Perkins at
the behest of President Roosevelt.
The order gives the board power to
investigate, to mediate, to take testi-
mony, to get the facts, to make pub
lie their findings and finally to act
as voluntary arbitrators. This last
power, it will be noted, is granted on
the assumption that both parties to
the dispute might wish to accept
arbitration.
This proviso means that II the
parties can be brought to AN agree
ment on all points except the one
as to who is to guarantee the settle
ment, it may be that the Government
made mediation board itself will act
as a guarantor of the agreement and
that the employers will then be willing
to accept signed contract
In other words, the employers have
no objection to signed agreements as
such If some power can be invoked
In the event the contracts are broken
1t is possible. OF course, for both par.
ties to file their contracts in a Fed.
eral court for certification and te
agree to suit in the event that the
contract is violated. This has hap.
pened before in giving private con.
tracts all the sanction Of law itself.
Weak Side Usually Appeals.
Then, too, the employers will prob.
ably insist, If the contract is signed
that any raising of the demand TO,
closed shop will automatically termi.
nate the pact, or that the raising o1
the issue will be regarded as viola
tion of the contract. There are many
ways by which the present strike
can be brought to a peaceful conclu.
sion, and there is some reason to be.
lieve that the labor unions were in.
strumental in getting the President
to appoint the board SO as to have
some machinery available with which
to end the strike. 1t is the history
Of all big strikes that as one sid,
weakens it seeks intervention fror tn
Government or the appointment O.
some peace-making machinery to Af'
ford = camoufiaged opportunity fol
graceful retreat. The same thini
happened in the General Motors
strike when Gov. Murphy was called
in BY labor. Undoubtedly Genera