Evening star., 1939-05-10


uation is abso- David Lawrence.
lutely essential for the benefit of
the Democratic party.
The Senate, on the other hand,
has manifested less interest in the
controversy over Wagner Act amend
nients. A majority is supposed to
have answered poll saying they
did not favor "substantial' amend
ments to the present law, but in
that word substantial" lies an op-
portunity for much flexibility of
judgment and opinion.
In the House, efforts have been
made by the c. I. o. to get members
to pledge themselves against any
amendments to the Wagner law.
Several members have resented this
campaign, stating that member of
Congress who pledges himself
against any and all amendments be-
fore they are actually presented to
him for consideration is not legis-
lating in accordance with his duty.
Constructive amendments might in
due time be offered by the friends
as we'll as the foes of the present
law, but a commitment against all
amendments is considered to have
been too comprehensive a demand
A Technical Controversy.
The fight between weakening and
strengthening the act, or at least
preventing the law from being
abused or allowing it to be the
vehicle of special privilege, is at
best a technical controversy. The
hearings in the Senate thus far have
been taken up with data furnished
by the National Labor Relations
Board as to its record, and attacks
on the board for decisions rendered
In specific cases.
Public interest in the hearings
probably can not be measured by
what happens in the committee
rooms, but it is fact that many
Of the foremost labor experts of en-
ployer companies and unions are
not examining the detailed testi-
mony, but are leaving it to the ma
tional associations to do, which
means that on the surface only a
handful of people actually are fol-
lowing the hearings minutely
There is no doubt that the Labor
Board, considering itself on the de-
fensive, prepared voluminous data
for the hearings Practically the
same lengthy report, however. which
was filed on April 14th with the Sen
ate Labor Committee was filed by
the board before the House Commit
tee on May 8. The board intimated
1t might consider some amendments,
but refrained from advocating any.
Chairman Thomas of the Senate
Labor Committee has sensed the
main lines of conflict between the
American Federation of Labor and
the National Labor Relations Board
and has been trying to reconcile
differences. At his suggestion the
chief counsel for the board and
for the A. F. of L. are comforting
this week to see if they can find
basis for compromise. This strategy
is wise on the part of the board
because the A. F. of L. is the prin-
cipal political factor in the situation
and can, together with employer
opposition manifested through ma
tional trade bodies, produce an en-
barrassing result for the board.
Administration Grows Nervous.
The board may have known all
along that it had to make conces-
sions and Slay have decided to wait
till after the opposition has fired
Re Pnncnuo1f nd ,icfr
ton has been a bit nervous, too
about the problem and has wanted
to see the schism between the board
and the A. F. of L. patched up in
some manner.
The A. F. of l.. amendments are
not difficult for the board to accept
with one exception, and that excep-
tion is the proposal to reconstitute
the board with five men, all of whom
should be new appoirtees. Whether
the A. F. of L. hollis out for this
change remains to be seen. Certainly
the A. F. of l.. has made 1t plain it
believes the membership of the
present board to be biased The atti-
tude of employers toward the amend
ments is not yet clear. Many of the
Republicans are preparing to engage
IN considerable debate on the ques-
tions arising out of the Wagner
Act, and it would not be surprising
II campaign issues were to be de-
rived from the controversy. Thus
from Republican viewpoint, failure
to accept substantial amendments
curing the weaknesses or alleged
one-sidedness of the present law
would be in the nature of furnishing
ammunition for the 1910 congress
sional fight, especially in the rural
districts. Employer associations
have managed in the last year or so
to stir up among the farmers much
opposition to the Wagner Law on the
ground that it is increasing the
expense of articles bought by the
farmer. All in all, the Wagner law
bids fair to make a stable cam
paign issue. irrespective of whether
the A. F. Of L. capitulates to the
administration and decides to insist
for the present at least only on a
few technical amendments.