Evening star., 1940-05-24

any way weaken
collective bar ~
gaining or the III
rights of labor s'Ss' <@3:3*%:
to organize, but David Lawrence.
they decidedly weaken the power
of an arbitrary minded tribunal to
write into the law things that were
never put there in the first instance
by Congress. Likewise, the amend
ments seek to give mployers-who,
too, have civil rights and are sup
posed to be treated fairly, even
though they are in the minority-a
chance to conduct their labor rela-
tions without being harassed by
misuse or abuse of the words of
the statute.
The labor union politicians, work.
Ing in close cooperation with the
National Labor Relations Board
have been conducting a lobby to
persuade members of the House to
leave the law unchanged. Threats
OF reprisals at the polls are in the
background of the controversy. Re-
publicans and Democrats alike have
been asked to vote against the
amendments on the ground that the
labor unions did not want changes.
The position of the C. I. O. has
been to oppose all amendments. The
A. F. of L. started out with amend
ments of its own and thought it
had Administration support, but it
turns out that the A. F. of L. has
been left isolated. Lately there have
been signs that the A. F.. of L.
leaders will return to the position
they originally took, namely that
new labor board must be created.
Better Relations Needed.
The need for a more satisfactory
relationship between management
and labor than exists in America
today is conceded on all sides. In
England, it is admitted that be-
cause labor refused to cooperate
voluntarily, measures of emergency
had to be adopted by Parliament
conscripting labor and capital. But
in the end it is labor that has to
surrender most. So in America, if
voluntary cooperation breaks down
and America is forced into the war
some day, labor will bear the brunt
OF the struggle. Can America fore
stall such a development by setting
up now a better relationship be-
tween management and labor? The
House will have to answer that ques-
ton and take full responsibility for
the decision next week.
1t is not difficult controversy to
appraise. When, after a searching
investigation by a special House
committee, abuses are revealed, it
Is certainly not constructive for the
big powerful labor politicians to ig-
more the abuses and endeavor to
whitewash completely those who
have been guilty Of wrong doing and
Of openly violating the Federal
statutes. Members of the board
have boldly confessed to violation
OF anti-lobbying laws. and yet have
never been prosecuted.
Public Morality Under Cloud.
The spectacle Of an administra-
ton which vigorously enforces the
laws against employers and deliber-
ately refrains from enforcing the
statutes against its own employees
when they violate Federal law is
an example of the decay of demo-
cratic government and public moral
tty. When political expediency
supersedes honest enforcement of
the law, the foundation of democ-
racy itself is made insecure.
The campaign against amending
the National Labor Relations Law
has in itself revealed that arbitrarily
interpreted statutes can be kept in
force if the political lobbies are
strong enough. The administration
by its position thus far has COM
mitted itself to the side of unquali-
fed endorsement of the mismanage-
ment by the board. All the revela-
tions of the Smith committee have
been brushed to one side and ad-
ministration leaders are fighting
against amendments.
How can industry ever have con-
fidence in any administration which
so far forgets the rules of fair play
in a democracy that when unfair
ness is clearly proved, no redress is
obtainable? How much enthusiasm
can industry put into the production
machine when it feels that at Wash
ington is group of overzealous poll
ticians interested primarily in theil
own ambitions and their own main
tenance of political power?
Voters Final Arbiters.
The average citizen often ask.
himself what he can do about it
The coming vote in the House will
give him much food for thought ane
a stimulus to action. Every vots
for unqualified retention of the Ma
tional Labor Relations Act, every
vote made at the behest of pressure
groups, can be repudiated at tn,
polls by larger groups. of the elec'
torate who want to see a fair dea
for employers as well as employees
The question of what the Senat.
does about it is secondary. For tn,
House must go on record first. 1
the House does not see the implica
tions to national defense and eff
cient production in failure to cor
rect the mistakes in the Wagne
law, then America must look to tn
voters at the polls to express in I'M
mistakable terms this autumn tn
national desire for fairness ant
voluntary cooperation in govern
ment. It's another episode in tn
era of selishness that has mad
democracy so weak to cope witt
totalitarian states.
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