Evening star., 1938-12-18

ike very UldIly, Dut Wnen you consider
the ramifications of sympathy strikes
and jurisdietional disputes, the beneficial
results mount up into savings of thou
sands of dollars to employers and thou
sands of hours of work for employees.
Because of his own outstanding record
as President Roosevelt's chief labor
trouble shooter" for four years, the
opinion of Edward F. McGrady, former
Assistant United States Secretary of
Labor, is pertinent. He calls the organ
ization lone of the finest possible
agencies to promote industrial peace and
goodwill He thinks so much of it he
permitted himself to be drafted as
director.
To date, the biggest individual case to
be settled involved 1000 members of the
Textile Workers, Organizing Committee
and the United Automobile Workers in
four industrial plants: Two in Massa-
chusetts, one in New Jersey and one in
Michigan. The question was whether a
10 per cent pay cut was justified by busi-
ness conditions. Three arbitors decided
"a u PSA SSllt Wv Ndo VIC lllOoO Illdl COulu
be allowed. A strike was averted.
Machinery Comprehensive.
That is the biggest case to date, but
the machinery of the Voluntary Indus
trial Arbitration Tribunal-the labor dis
pute settling agency the arbitration as
sociation set up in October of 1937-is
comprehensive enough to handle Ma
tion-wide problem. Seven thousand
arbitors, all prominent public-scpirited
men who serve anonymously, without
pay are on call in all parts of the coun-
try. Their only reconpense is travel
expense, and that is paid by public sub
scription and nominal fee charged for
the service.
Small cases are handled as expedi-
tiously as large ones. An example Is
the problem of the actor who refused
that particular Broadway theater spelled
out his name in letters as high as the
name of the leading lady,
An arbitor was at work within a half
hour of the time the theater manager
telephoned. Before the show opened
that same evening the case was settled,
the lights were changed and the play
went on
The labor tribunal has settled all
sorts of questions. Have shoe workers
the right to receive increased pay when
a last is changed? Under what circum-
stances may an employer refuse to re-
! employ workman after strike? When
| is an employer entitled to dismiss an
| employe due to decrease in business? L
| the principle of seniority applicable when
| not specified in the labor agreement:
| When is store closed and when is il
| moved? In dismissing an employe, te
reduce overhead, may seniority be waived
in favor of nephew of the employer?
Headed by Noted Lawyer.
Important as it is, labor is but q
small part of the Arbitration Associa.
tion's field. 1t became a distinct part
only year ago, as result of the pop.
ularity of the associations role in com.
mercial affairs, where it began operat.
ing in 1926. In the 13 years since the
association has disposed of II 900 cases
on its own dockets and has been re.
sponsible indirectly for settlement o
100000 more through adoption of it.
rules by some 1926 trade association
throughout the United States. Becaus,
of it arbitration clauses have been in
serted in countless numbers of contracts
Its work has been so widely accepted
that 46 States have passed laws givin,
legal effect to arbitors decisions
It's president is distinguished at
torney, Franklin E. Parker, jr., forme
law partner of Lloyd K. Garrison, dear
of Wisconsin University Law School, an,
the chairman of the Board of Director
is Lucius R. Eastman, industrialist, VIII
formerly represented this country on tn
Economic Committee of the League O
Nations.
Its ramifcations extend into such un
expected things as separation agreement
between husbands and wives, coverin
amounts of alimony payments and VIII
should have custody of the children.
Move over, Solomon!