The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-01-13

this major industry.
II current negotiations. between
the union and motor executives
fail, he win Immediately step In,
call both sides to Washington and
personally act as arbiter. This
course Of action has been defin-
itely decided upon. as.
In keeping with his policy Of
not intervening In labor disputes,
the President SO far has kept
hands off the automobile contro-
versy. But he wants no repeti-
ton Of the longshorernen's and
seamen's strike which has crippled
Pacific coast shipping for weeks,
at loss Of millions Of dollars not
only to the contestants but to In
dustry generally.
A protracted tieup in the motor
industry would have even more
serious reverberations throughout
the entire country, and Roose-
welt is prepared to use every
measure to avert this disaster.
Missing But Not Missed
Prominently absent from the
group of rail union leaders who
have been comforting with rail-
road executives recently on wage
and hour demands, preparatory to
meeting with President Roosevelt,
was Alexander F. Whitney, dap
per head of the Brotherhood of
Trainmen. But while missing,
Whitney was not missed by his
associates.
Among them he is viewed with
pronounced disapproyal. And they
haven't been backward in voicing
their sentiments publicly.
In a recent magazine article,
George M. Harrison, chairman
OF the Railway Labor Executives
Association, Of which whitney
is a member and once was head,
tossed a bouquet Of brickbats,
and old Tom Cashen, veteran
president Of the Switchmen's
Union, followed with another.
j. A.. Phillips, scholarly presi-
dent of the Railway Conductors,
expressed his opinion even more
emphatically. At a conference In
Chicago, he filed serious charges
against Whitney. Whitney re-
piled with an epithet. Phillips re-
tort was an ink bottle, thrown at
Whitney's head.
Last Resort
Reason for Whitney'S absence
from the current conference Is
that he has been on his way
back to the United States from
the Buenos Aires peace meeting.
The trainman chief was men,
Der Of the U. s. delegation.
Whitney's selection as peace
missionary was an accident. AS
gesture to- labor, the Presi-
dent decided to put a unionite
on the delegation. He offered the
appointment to Dan Tobin of the
Transfers. But Dan was busy
with other matters and declined.
So Roosevelt turned to Harri-
son, who also said no. Dave
Robertson of the Railroad En-
gineers was the next approached,
but he too was not interested.
In desperation, the President
finally turned to Whitney.
Real Object
Behind the Presidents dramatic
attack on the Supreme Court in
his message to Congress Is one
object, and only one. 1t Is to curb
the power Of the federal judici-
airy.
That is the inside explanation
for his strategy in sounding the
praises of the Constitution. His
blast against the Supreme Court
was an echo, although suayely
and automatically worded one,
Of his famous "horse and buggy"
fusillade following the courts
invalidatoin of the MIRA.
Having set the stage as a de-
fender Of the Constitution, the
President now is waiting for q
slip by the court to resume the
offensive. The first adverse de-
cision on q New Deal or liberal
measure will see him move with
dispatch an dvigor.
Just what form the attack
will take Is undecided. 1t will
depend largely on developments.
Various proposals are on tap
but none Of them are constitu-
.toinal amendments for enlarg-
ing the power Of Congress.
The President considers amend
ments too laborious and uncer-
tain. Also, he holds that the
constitution gives Congress plenty
Of authority to act, that what is
needed Is to strip the courts Of
excessive power.
NOTE-If the Supreme Court
does not give him an opening, 1t
is definitely planned to force one.
r.. /. p.
The MIRA has finally breathed
Its last. On December 81 - Is
months after 1t was declared un-
constitutional = the last feeble
vestiges Of General Hugh john
sons one-time mighty 'baby" ex-
pired, unnoticed and unattended.
1t was a long, lingering death.
For nine months after the courts
blast the MIRA, sans legal power
but with a full complement Of
employees, limped along as a
study and research agency.
Then on April 1, 1885, when
It's congressional authorization