Evening star., 1939-03-07

view OF the ne <
gotiations the
hearings on pro- D,vi, 1.wr.nc.
posed amend
ments must be postponed has been
published, but back of it lies de-
termination on the part of one
labor group to prevent from coming
up in Congress the very subject
matter of the dispute.
Thus, as one c. I. o. leader said,
how could there be any peace nego-
tiations if Congress were consider
ing the emasculation of those pro-
visions of the existing law which
permit industrial unionism?
Announcement has come never
theless from A. F. of L. sources that
bills are to be sponsored for re-
creation of the labor board. This
means getting rid of all the present
membership and requiring new ap-
pointmentS by the President and,
of course, new confirmation by the
Senate.
Sidetracking of Bills Seen.
What the A. F. of L. has done is
In line with action taken at its
annual Executive Committee meet
ing in Miami recently, but it would
be surprising if the bills were
pushed at this time. Certainly the
peace negotiations will not get very
far if the struggle as between craft
and industrial unions is transferred
to Capitol Hill. Under such cir
tors might well decline to go on
slntil the issue had been settled in
Congress.
The fight to prevent any amend
ment from being made to the Wag-
ner Act is one which will take on
renewed significance according as
the negotiations may seem to rise
or fall Thus, while at the moment
the c. I. o. has an advantage in
keeping the legislative situation at
a standstill, the impending threat
of a legislative step which may
define the respective jurisdictions
of craft and industrial unions and
forbid the board to exercise dis
cretionary judgment will be in the
background as the negotiators be-
tween A. F. Of l.. and c. I. 0.
pursue their arguments across the
peace table.
That the debate will be prolonged
seems inevitable. Even If there is a
meeting of minds, the details OF
truce or working agreement until
( further steps can be taken is likely
to extend over a protracted period.
Certainly 1t seems improbable by
May or June the situation will have
clarified sufficiently for the Congress
to be willing to take hand in the
ticklish political questions involved
in deciding what is an Inappropriate
unit" for collective bargaining. What
the members Of the National Labor
Relations Board have been unable
to decide satisfactorily through a
series of perplexing decisions is not
likely to prove easy for members of
congress to decide.
Initiative Thwarted.
So 1t does look as II amendments to
the Wagner Act have become en-
meshed to such an extent In the
circumstances surrounding the A. F..
of L.-C. I. o. peace negotiations that
it seems safe bet of mo legislation"
at all at this session. Employer or
ganizations which have been hopeful
>,that the A. F. of L. would blaze the
trail and get action on the subject in
Congress will find that the hoped-for
initiative is now thwarted by a sit
uation embarrassing alike to the A.
F. of L. and to the administration
The G. I. o. may we'll refuse to nego-
tiate if the subject is interjected in
the next few months in Congress.
This means a postponement until
the congressional session of January,
1910. Members of Congress will not
like 1t very much because, whichever
way they vote, many of them will
find they will have incurred enmities.
Where, however, surprise may be
IN store for the labor groups is in
!. the possibility that leadership on
y revising the Wagner Act may come
from members of Congress who rep
resent rural areas. The propaganda
against labor which is being carried
on In agricultural districts is con-
siderable and the union leaders are
well aware of 1t. The administra-
ton, anxious to protect its labor vote,
Is bound to be more assertive than
ever In compelling a peace agree
ment between the C. I. o. and the
A. F. OF L., and may even find itself
compelled to 60 along with the de-
mands Of Southern Congressman in
coalition with Northern representa-
tives from non-industrial States in
modifying the Wagner Act.
Criticisms Can Be Met,
Union labor may get some OF It's
basic rights subtracted If it allows
. the present troublous situation to 20
uncured for another year. Certainly
delays work In favor of those who
want to see such public sentiment
built up as will result in the COM
plete sabotage of the act. Many OF
the criticisms of the present law
can be met by new regulations by
the board itself in the event that
congressional action cannot be at
tanned this year. AS between the