Evening star., 1938-01-25

Senate
reduction Of his wages to the point O.
bare subsistence. And I am willins
to resist the operation of this law
to the extent that the worker shall
have a wage that will provide for him
the ordinary privileges of life as jus,
now described. This resistance is one
OF the primary functions of civilization
But why go to the Congress for this:
Why erect Federal Board for this:
Why yield up the new power nov
aValla able-almost in the moment j
has been won for the workers-ane
give it over to politics and politicians;
Labor may now bargain collectively
The power has been upheld by the
Supreme Court. And labor can bar.
gain collectively-the individual is NJ
longer exposed to the adversities o
free competition. At least, why no.
try out this new power before recogniz.
ing the principle of Federal Cor DO.
ltlcaD control Of wages and hoursi
I should think that the labor organ.
izations would hesitate long before
abandoning a field in which they have
SO recently won commanding power
wonder if they are willing to take
the risks of political control, now that
they have their first opportunity to dc
the job they have so long wished tc
do under their own power and with
their new weapon of collective bar.
gaining.
hear that some are saying that the
labor organiZa tions desire the Fedora
minimum wage as floor, the maxi
mum hour as a ceiling, and within
these they propose to work for higher
wages, shorter hours. This may seem
practicable, but I warn them that il
they recognize the power of Congress
to regulate they must accept the exer-
else of that power in the discretion
OF political authority. Will they trans
fer their function to the Congress?
1t IS capable of operating either
Way-for lower minimums, for higher
maximums. Political control is po-
litical control; it is the exercise of
sovereign power; and it Is not by any
means under the direction of organ
lied labor. Today responsive, tomor-
row it may be recalcitrant. It was
said of old-put not your trust in
princes-put not your trust in SOW
ereign power.
Hold Fast to Liberty.
So We have the question, Shall
labor ask for political control?
It was q wise man who said-we
struggle for liberty a thousand years,
but we may throw it away in one day.
I am suggesting, therefore, that the
workers of our country hold fast to
liberty, that they hold fast to their
right and their power to do for them
selves.
I warn them that to entrust their
cause to Federal power is to commit
themselves to policy in the shaping
OF which their voice may not be surely
heard. What power do you have, Mr..
Working Man, to control the Con-
gress? You vote for only one Repre-
sentative in 435, for only two Senators
IN 96. That is all. What power have
you to shape the local policy in the
National Congress vote in 435,
two votes in 96? And If your candi-
date Is beaten you do not have even
that!
But you do have local power-you
nave the power Of local opinion. the
power of local organization. the power
OF collective bargaining-the mass Of
the workers as against the sole en-
ployer. You know far better than
Representatives and Senators from far
distant States what are the proper
standards for your craft, or your To-
cality. You know the local costs Of
living; you know the local limitations.
And you know your own earning power
But you cannot trust Representatives
and Senator's from afar to represent
you-they will represent only those
who elect them. And all the work.
ing men together-if they could get
together in politics-could not be sure
OF electing majority in the Con-
gress.
And II there must be Government
action, why not look to your State
Legislature, in which you may surely
have a voice, rather than to a Federal
Congress in which you may or may
not have voice? States may be back
ward, but they may also be brought
forward. Look at the record In reduce
ton Of child labor-it is the fruit of
non-Federal action.
Assign Away Your Power.
Here is the picture: Commit your
self, either as employer or employe, to
the power Of the Congress to regulate
hours and wages and thereby you as
sign once and perhaps forever your
own power to men who do not know
you, who know nothing about you
and who are not responsible to you
Are you willing to exchange 20 much
Tor q minimum wage and q maximum
hour, however desirable? Are YOU
willing to make this exchange when
the good and desired objective may
be accomplished by you without thia
costly surrender? Granted that the
alternative method, that Of collective
bargaining. may be less swift, it Il
more trustworthy.
I can well understand how some EN-.
ployers In stabilized industries woult
advocate such Federal control. Il
would make at once for uniformity
and relieve them Of much difficulty
However, the large majority Of EN-.
ployers. especially those in the smaller
and less stable industries, recogniz,
not only the difficulty Of adjusting t.
Federal control, but also are wisel,
fearful Of surrendering their right :.
deal with their employees TO Q boar