Evening star., 1940-12-08

!
Aboue: Strikers picketing the
Vultee aircraft plant in California
at the height OF the recent con-
troDersy.
Right: Sidney Hillman, labor
expert on the National Defense
Advisory Commission.
Wide World Photos.
THE c. I, o. strike which halted work
l. on planes for the Government in
the Vultee Aircraft plant in Southern
California has been settled, but, Of
course the whole thorny problem of la
Dor relations in times of national emer-
gency remains.
Men have right TO strike. That right
has been specifically set out in the Ma
tional Labor Relations Act and has been
affirmed by the Supreme Court of the
United States. But the Nation has the
right and the duty, when imperiled to
enforce such measures as may be neces-
sary for the national defense
Taking their cue from the Vultee
strike and from the statement by Attor-
ney General Jackson during its progress
that confidential F. B. l. report had
described the Communist influence
which caused and is prolonging the
strike" several Representatives have
proposed drastically restrictive measures
Representative E. E. Cox, Democrat. of
Georgia. for example, would outlaw all
strikes in times of emergency and set up
compulsory arbitration while Repre-
sentative Howard w. Smith, Democrat,
of Virginia, chairman Of the special
House committee which investigated the
National Labor Relations Board and au-
thor of the Labor Act amendments put
through the House a few months ago,
has introduced a bill providing, among
other things, penalties up to life impris-
onment for sabotage in defense indus
tries
Sentiment in Congress Shown.
President Roosevelt observed at press
conference last week that bills OF this
sort were being dropped into the legis-
lative hopper at the rate of three min
ute. Thus the President made light of
the Smith and similar measures. They
do, however, represent a considerable
sentiment in Congress, notably among
Southern members who have often, as
in the matter of the Smith amendments
to the Labor Act and in the contests
over the Wage-hour law, shown them
selves bitterly hostile to the labor meas
ures of the New Deal
The Vultee strike in an essential de-
fense industry played directly into the
hands of those who would put legisla-
tive curb on labors right to strike. In
terested officials of the administrative
arm, as well as members of Congress who
see no need for restrictive labor legisla-
ton, heard of the Vultee settlement with
a sigh of relief. Prolongation of the
strike might we'll have created a situa-
ton extremely difficult for the congress
Sional friends of organized labor to
handle, Such an outcome is still pos
siblc; indeed, it is highly probable If
there should be a series of strikes
whatever their merits-in essential in
dustries, or if Congress should become
persuaded of lack of zeal on the part
of the Government in dealing with the
SuDfClSlfC III AdbOl
The majority by which the Smith
amendments to the Labor Act passed
the House of Representatives-two to one
shows the possibilities.
Opposed by Administration.
It is the firm view of the administra-
ton, and of liberal legislators, that re-
strictive labor legislation at this time is
both unnecessary and undesirable; that
it might be even calamitous.
The man who, next to the President,
has had the most to do with the formu-
lation of the Governments labor policy
is Sidney Hillman, president Of the we'll
managed Amalgamated Clothing Work.
ers and labor's representative on the
National Defense Advisory Commission.
Last week the President added another
trouble shooter" to his defense staff
Edward F. McGrady, former Assistant
Secretary of Labor.
If the labor movement regainS its lost
unity-and one great obstacle to that
end has been removed with the passing
of John L. Lewis from the presidency
of the c. I. Ga great share of the
credit will belong to the labor statesman
ship of Sidney Hillman. Concurrently
with his efforts to restore peace between
the warning factions of labor, Hillman
is now, heart and soul, working to pro-
| mote peace between capital and labor
| in the interest of national defense. He
believes. and breaches with the fervor
of an evangel, that the national welfare
in the present emergency can best be
served by a flexible, give-and-take re-
lationship between capital and labor, not
| by the coercion of labor.
And his system, despite the Vultee
strike, has worked. Since he took Office
as defense commissioner on June u, he
and his staff have settled nearly 200 labor