The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1938-08-18

SHALL GOVERNMENT CONTROL UNIONISM
Every living thing must develop as it grows
in the course of performing it's functions. Some
times these living things or institutions develop
very differently from what was intended through
the original plan. This may be due to changing
conditions in which functions must be performed
to the personal bias of those responsible for the
institution or to the purposes which one more
persons may wish to accomplish The National
Labor Relations Board is conspicuous example
of development along lines quite unforeseen at the
time of the enactment of the legislation creating
the Board. The law intended to free work
ers from those unfair practices of employers
which made it impossible for them to organize in
their own unions for purposes of collective bar
gaining.
Labor has always held that if the opportunity
to organize were afforded, workers would be able
to take care of their own problems through col
lective bargaining and other union activities. La
Dor wants to be free. One of the most difficult
problems democracy has to solve is that of main
tanning freedom for all against the designs or good
intentions of some The close interdependence of
our economic and social life makes legislation
necessary to standardze the best practices in hui
man relations where social welfare is concerned.
In deciding upon such legislation we have had to
weigh possible gains against possible infringe
ment of human freedom which may in turn
eventually restrict social progress. In the case of
the National Labor Relations Act the purpose
was only to assure workers the opportunity for
freedom There are, however, connected with the
administration of the law persons who have in
mind results widely different from merely assur-
ing Labor the right to membership in unions of
their own choosing. Instead of performing their
III hot,, al
duty and personal inclination they have inter
preted their duty to further dual union organ
ization as against the established organization in
the unfortunate union conflict into which we have
been precipitated There is no question but that
the union schism makes the work of the Board
much more difficult. These difficulties necessitate
a judicial balance of judgment of the highest Or
der and require that trial examiners, regional di-
rectors as well as the whole fact finding staff and
all who do work preliminary to the Boards find
ngS shall also put aside persone desires to favor
one or the other contestants in the union cOntro-
verSy and do work which is at least of semi
judicial character. The Board freed from all
conciliation functions that it might administer
only the right of Labor to organize freely 1t is
a commentary on the failure of the Board to main
tain judicial attitude that the A. +. of 1.-The
organization which did more than any other to
further the adoption of the National Labor Re
lations Act-should feel that the Act is admins
tered in way to promote the Committee which
seeks to set up a dual labor movement despite all
the social and economic waste which duasm in
wolves. The result is that Government and groups
outside the labor movement are attempting to de-
telmine nter-unon problems and destinies.
The Board has given an insurgent group the
rights Of belligerents-a privilege accorded in in
ternatona affairs only after careful deliberatior
and full consideration Of its grave consequences
Every agency Of Government that gives status tt
the c. |. o. gives the same recognition. Surely
this is not freedom for workers to choose thel
own unions and representatives for collective bar
gaining but union development under Government
patronage
Progressive legislation and practical democrac,
depend upon a united labor movement Whateve
groups or agencies give aid to insurgency within
our movement defeat these purposes