Evening star., 1940-12-25
Defense Plant Strikes
Less Than in 1917,
Labor Group Says
u. 5. Trouble Shooters
Relied on to Avert
Work Stoppoees
By the Associated Press.

DS t1tS AsocNldNSN HItsSs
Strikes during the last six months
of industrial preparedness for ma
tional defense have been far less
numerous than in the same period
of 1899, or the war year Of 1917
labor representatives in the Govern
ment reported today.
They said final figures would moi
be compiled until after the new
year begins, but preliminary esti-
mates showed a tremendous" de-
cline in strikes compared to the
period when the country was at war
The labor representatives forecast
that an expansion of the Labor De-
partment's Cancellation Service and
of the Defense Commissions "trou-
ble-shooting" staff would be relied
on. at least for the time being, to
avert work stoppages in defense in
dustries during 1941.
Other Methods Studied.
But consideration was being given
also, they said, to other proposed
systems if labor disputes become
numerous. Among them is the Rail-
way Labor Act and the machinery
1t provides for the settlement of
railroad labor controversies.
Under the rail labor law the Pres
ident may appoint special boards
to investigate labor-management
deadlockS, and strikes or lockouts
are forbidden for 80 days there
after. The investigators then file
report on the merits of the case
and this may be made public.
The law also provides for extern
sive preliminary efforts to mediate
or adjust controversies before re-
sort is made to a presidential board
Labor Spokesmen in the defense
setup said strikes at the Vultee
Aircraft Co. in California and the
Aluminium Co. of Americas plant
at New Kensington. Pa, were the
only serious ones in the last six
months affecting the defense pro-
gram.
Daniel Tracy Lends Hand.
Labor Department conciliators
whose members are being increased
seek to bring employers and work
ers to terms by conferences. In
formally, Daniel w. Tracy, former
head of the A. F. of LIS Brother
hood of Electrical workers and now
Assistant Secretary of Labor, has
been taking a hand in some such
efforts.
If Cancellation fails, the Defense
Commission labor division, headed
by Sidney Hillman, sends trouble
shooter" to the scene Chief OF
these now are Joseph keenan,, Sec
retary of the A. F. of L. council at
Chicago, and John Owens, head OF
the Ohio council of the United
Mine Workers. Several regional
representatives have been appointed
and others are to be named soon.
Edward F. Grady, labor relations
expert for the Radio Corp. of Amer
lea and special consultant to Secre-
tary of War Stimson, is also at work
quietly in the same field.
Shipyard Wages Studied.
NJ. Hillman recently appointed g
committee representing organized
labor, the shipbuilding industry, the
Navy and the Maritime Commits
sion to investigate wage rates and
working conditions in shipbuilding
plants.
At its first meeting December S
this group approved a policy urg-
ing that there be no interruption
of production by shipyard employers
or employees before all the Defense
Commission's facilities for adjusting
differences had been exhausted.
A similar committee for the air.
craft industry is to be appointed
shortly.