The voice of labor. (Cumberland, Md.) 1938-1942, 1940-06-20
The Wagner Act


resentatves, aided by the fifth columnists from
without, have succeeded in cutting the Wagner
Act.
That the Senate will consent to such OUT
raseous procedure seems highly doubtful at
this time
We have devoted considerable space in this
issue to giving full reports and details on the
incidents which led to the attack on labors
Magma Charta Throughout all these reports
it will be seen that the fine hand of William
Green of the American Federation of Labor
was joined with the hands of such labor haters
as Representative Smith of Virginia. the Ma
tional Association of Manufacturers and the
u 5. Chamber of Commerce. Congress
woman Norton. chairman OF the House Labor
Committee aptly described Green and the
NAM. and c. of c. as "a beautiful group.
Many AFL unions have expressed their dis
gust at the "sell-out" by William Green.
The Congressional Record which quotes the
debate makes very illuminating reading on
the type of representative who voted to stab
labor in the back. 1t shows that the die-hards
who opposed passage of the Wagner Act in
the FIRST instance and who did everything in
their power to hamstring it by legalistc
maneuvers sat in the saddle and rode it to
what they hope will be its death.
We wish to bring public attention to the
writings of the CUMBERLAND NEWS. whose
editor must feel highly eated at the setback
given to labor by passage of the Smith Bill.
We wonder what this gentleman will have to
say. if and when dozens Of craft unions try to
smash the bargaining procedures now in effect
at the Celanese Corporation and in the mines
of this area1 Will he still say that the Smith
amendments will bring industrial peace"
when few dozen unions try to bargain sep
arately with the arrangements of these local
concerns to make separate agreements. expir-
ing at different timesa
Of course. we have often expressed our
selves on the sincerity of the gentlemans at
taeks on the Wagner Act. AS an example he
hollered loud and long that he is opposed to
the Wagner Act because it is one-sded and
does not give the employer the same rights as
given the employee"
Well. one of the Smith amendments reads
that members of a union negotiating commit
tee shall be American citizens. BUT 1T DOES
NOT ALSO REQUIRE THAT EMPL OVERS
REPRESENTATIVES ON BARGAINING
COMMITTEES SHALL ALSO BE ClTIZENSl
Did you read any protest from the editor
of the Cumberland News" at this one-sided
proposal? No. we didn't etherI Instead he
whooped it up for the change. He apparently
believes it is quite in order for the Celanese
Corporations foreign agents to tell American
workers under what conditions they shall
work. but entirely wrong when workers elect
their own representatives free of dictation
from Congress the agents of Wall Street in
Congress.
We await with interest the comments of the
editor of the Cumberland News on this
expose OF his inconsistent position. but we do
not expect to hear any.
Incidentally. may we remind our readers
that the six representatives from Maryland split
three to three and negated the States effective
action. The two representatives from Balti-
more City voted against the amendments.
The Eastern Shore and agricultural representa-
tives voted for them. For the Cumberland
News" edihcation we report that Representa-
tive Byron paired against the amendments
with Congressman Dies for them.