The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-04-19
UNIONS MUST FEAR WAGNER ACT RULING, SAY
 COMMUNISTS

Waterbury, Conn.
 April 15, 1887. Editor, Waterbury Democrat:
 Unions, on your guard!
 Forces are at work to cheat you of your victory in the Wagner Act decision. A drive is already under way to forge out of this decision new shackles for labor, use limita- tions on fundamental American lib- critics.
 The press, from the ultra-reac- tionary republican organs to the pseudo-liberal Scripps- Howard newspapers, has launched cam- paign to amend the Wagner Act or supplement it with legislation to restrict the right to strike and hog tie the labor movement. Washing ton dispatches report that bills are being prepared for introduction in Congress embodying: 1.-Compul- sorry arbitration. 2.-Forced mcor- porationA of trade unions. .3.-A long conciliation process to make 1t more difficult to strike.
 Behind this drive stand the eco- homie royalists of the Liberty League and the National ASso- citation of Manufacturers. Behind it stand the same Wall Street gang that tried to foist Landon on the country, that have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on an indus trial spy system that is the shame of America. Behind 1t stand those reactionary forces that want to do in this country what Hitler did 1n Germany.
 These people are all set to use the conference of labor and indus trial leaders which Secretary Per- kinS has called for Tuesday, as a springboard for their new anti-labor program. They expect to get help in high places, from Secretary of Commerce Roper for one.
 The aims of this reactionary drive are made clear in an editorial in April 13 Herald Tribune: Here arises the whole question of union responsibility. It will do no good for Congress to emit pious admoni- tions on the subject unless it also provides by law for the responsible administration of union affairs. Is it prepared to do this in the Wagner or some supplemental act? Is 1t pre- pared to define the circumstances under which strikes are not per- missible and to declare certain strike methods or types of strikes illegal under penalty for violation of its ruling?"
 And David Lawrence, in his sym dicated column in the Sun, almos, joyously halls the Wagner Act de- cision as offering Congress an cop portunity to put a ball and chair on the unions: Federal power te control labor unions is here. Int Congress of the U. s. possesses sucf power, and the Supreme Court ol the U. S. affirmS it."
 Lawrence brazenly proceeds to de. velop the idea that since strikes in- terfere with interstate commerce the government should take steps te outlaw them. He writes: "Today labor openly seeks to prevent m' terstate commerce from being car ried on until its demands are mel Economic power welded across state lines by virtual monopoly ol a few (labor) leaders at last has been matched by the power or tnt U. S. government"
 To achieve these reactionary aims various proposals are being put lor' ward: registration and incorpora- tion of trade unions, outlawing o, sitdown strikes, and extension Ol the principles of the Railway Labol Act to all industry in interstate commerce. Writes the United Press: "One subject that will b' presented to Miss Perkins confer ence will be an eight point program which has been submitted to Speak CT Bankhead. It calls for the ex tension of the Railway Labor Ac | to other industries and Is similar ts A proposal backed by the Nationa Association of Manufacturers.
 The Railway Labor Act, whatever other virtues 1t may have definitely restricts the right to strike. The rail way unions have fortunately beer sufficiently strong to protect tnel interests to a considerable degre' during the long process Of mediation they are compelled to go througl before they have the legal right z strike.