Evening star., 1937-07-02

dlviduals who .
committed con- ~, ,
tempt of court
in Flint by refusing to withdraw from
General Motors plants where a sit
down strike was being held. Likewise,
In Detroit, the order of a court was
defied by strikers at the Chrysler
plants.
1t is true that in Michigan there
has been no law hitherto permitting
even peaceful picketing and that the
act just passed fills an omission by
defining picketing and prohibiting vio-
lence. Michigan, however has done
nothing to investigate the circum-
stances surrounding the failure OF the
local authorities to enforce the already
existent laws Of the State with respect
to treSpassing on private property. Nor
has there been revealed the extent
to which the Governor counseled
against law enforcement.
Ensnared by Washington.
The Michigan Governor was the
victim Of persuasion by the Roosevelt
administration, and in the end found
himself in jam. Gov. Davey of
Ohio. confronted by similar tactics on
the part of the Washington admins
tration, allowed himself to be en-
shared only for few days and then
came out clearly and forcefully for
law and order in one of the best state
ments written yet on the subject of
the right to work,
Undoubtedly Gov. Murphy was in
fuenced by Washington to withhold
the use of force to secure obedience to
court orders, but the public does not
know the nature of the influence used
upon the Governor of sovereign
State. Something of the pressure en-
poyed was disclosed by Gov. Davay
of Ohio, who publicly says that the
Secretary of Labor demanded that
he use troops to keep plants closed.
Said Gov. Davey in formal state
ment:
1T is no doubt appropriate to quote
her (Secretary PerkinsD exact Ian
gusge in part as follows: We must
not let the efforts of the Mediation
Board fail. We cannot let our labor
friends think we have let them down.
think you ought to keep those mills
closed until settlement is reached
Michigan Case May Be Amazing.
Here Is case OF Federal power
exerted upon the Governor of State
with the suggestion that he refuse to
furnish protection for property or
for the right of workingmen to work.
1t is an amaging example of Federal
Intervention, and when all the facts
are disclosed as to the parleyS over
the telephone and in conference be-
tween the Federal administration in
Washington and the Governor of
Michigan. there may be other evidence
tempted to persuade and in this case
did persuade a Governor not to do
his duty in obeying existing laws.
The new Michigan statute on labor
relations was forced by an outraged
opinion in the State In the first place,
the act does what the Wagner act
failed to do 1t insists that employers
bS we'll hS ll)lONeS StdI1u oll liie
same footing with respect to insistence
on elections and with respect to in
vestigation by the Labor Board of
charges of unfair practices. The
Michigan law enumerates the powers,
duties and responsibilities" of the
Board of Industrial Relations and,
among other things, says the board
has the power, duty and responsibility
ito investigate charges of violations
of this act by either employers, en-
plOyes or any organization thereof"
and ito conduct such Investigations
as 1t shall deem proper for the pro-
lection of employees or employers
against racketeering. extortion and
other unfair practices"
Specifies Lawful Picketins.
The provisions against picketing by
violence are so well drawn that they
unquestionably forbid "sit down"
strikes in the future. The new law
says: "Picketing is hereby declared
to be lawful in this State, except
under the following conditions and
circumstances:
"(a) Patrolling or attendance by
any persons, whether on behalf Of a
labor organization or otherwise, at
or near a place of business or en-
ployment affected by labor dispute,
or the residence of any person en-
ployed therein or other place where
such person may be, in such manner
or numbers as to obstruct or other
wise interfere with approach thereto
or egress therefrom, or interfere with
the free and unimpeded use of public
highway
"Cb Patrolling or picketing in OF
about any premises or place of busi-
ness involved in a labor dispute BY
person who is neither employed
therein nor party to the dispute
nor an official of labor organization
that is party to the dispute
But when these things occur, what
Is the remedy? The courts are in
structed to issue injunctions ordering
persons to desist from the practices