Evening star., 1938-12-24
(Last OF a Series.)
By BLAIR MOODY.

BY BLAIR MOODY.
Can the Wagner Act be made a
fair and equitable instrument that
will work in the interests of every one
without wrecking 1t from the stand
point OF labor?
The c. I. o. says mo-" Not long
ago, 1t opposed proposals to make
the act crack down on abuses by
either side.
The National Labor Relations
Board says mo" And in this, some
point out is provided evidence for
those who contend that in view
point, and often in action. is serves
as an organizing adjunct of the
c. I. O.
Aside from the Labor Board and
C. I. O. most people say the act
can be made more useful by amend
ment. Even Senator Wagner OF
New York came out in the height OF
his last campaign for amendments
although he was not specific.
President Roosevelt has said re-
peatedly he knows the law to be
imperfect, still in an early phase Of
evolution as the background Of a
new national labor system. He has
never admitted it is unfair, either
to employers or workers, but he
seems to know that, before perma-
nent peace can come to industrial
America, the law must be changed
A. F. L. Demands Changes.
The American Federation Of La
Dor, chiefly interested in amend
ments which would help win its wal
with C. I. o. by clipping the wings
of N. L. r. B. and specifically favor
ing craft unions, has joined indus
trialists in demanding that Congress
improve the act
Blasts against taking the matter
up now mean, for the most part
that the blasters do not want the
law brought into balance until the
right to bargain collectively and also
the closed shop and dues-checkofi
are accepted features of industry.
Men like Lee Pressman. c. I. O.'s
chief counsel, apparently assume
that all amendments are proposed
with view to sabotaging the act
In recent brochure, Mr.. Pressman
said: The attack of big business
on the Wagner Act is q far more
serious thing than any possible flaws
which friends of the law may find
in its administration"
In gathering material for this
series-for which the writer talked
with employers, workers and union
leaders-it became obvious that the
detectives of both industry and la
Dor. as expressed by their most in
telligent spokesman, would be served
best by certain changes in the law
In compiling these proposed
amendments, the writer is recording
a consensus of moderate men, and
has endeavored to meet the princi-
pal objections raised by employers
against the law as it stands, without
in any way reducing the rights of
labor as conceived by President
Roosevelt and Senator Wagner in
the spirit of the original act.
Some of these suggested amend
ments follow:
l. Make any union which breaks
a contract ineligible as bargaining
agent under the act for a stated
period. unless its international
officers at once remove the local
officers responsible. If it persistently
breaks contracts, make it perma
nently ineligible. Provide that all
collective bargaining agreements be
put in writing and signed.
2. Make any union official who
after fair hearing. is shown to
have been responsible for breaking a
contract. personally ineligible to
represent workers in any collective
bargaining procedure having the
protection of n. L. r. B.
3. Require all unions asking recog-
milton as bargaining agents to reg
lister and file a complete financial
accounting. as protection to their
own members. To protect unions
against employers who might take
advantage of the knowledge a union
treasury was low, keep the total OF
funds in the treasury secret.
4. Make it an unfair labor prac-
tice for either an employer or union
agent to intimidate any worker on
the question of joining or not join
ing a union: inflict heavy penalties
on either side if it does, including
personal disqualification for union
leaders whose participation is proved
beyond doubt.
Secret Ballot Suggested.
S. Require a secret ballot of all
employees under Government aus
pices before any union may be
recognized by N. L. r. B. as pos
SCISSOR of majority, such an election
to be called within month of the
day a petition is filed by a union
or by SO employees or, in a small
plant, by 20 per cent of the en-
ployes.
6. Provide for a secret election for
choice of bargaining agent not just
once but periodically, either once a
year or each time the companys S
labor contract expires, to see that
the union holding the contract con-
tinues to represent the real feel
ings of the workers.
7. Smash at corrupt labor capital
monopolistic tie-ups in building
trades and other fields by making it
an unfair labor practice for unions
and contractors, or other employers,
to enter into agreements for exclu-
sive "protection' of one another in
any manner that would exclude COM
petitors. Provide heavy financial
penalties against any company that
participates in such an arrangement
and personal disqualification for
union officials who participate. Such
a provision In the Wagner Act would
virtually duplicate present provisions
of the antitrust laws, but would
provide much more direct and