Evening star., 1940-11-23
Cox Calls on House
To Declare Defense
Strikes Treason
Randolph and Costello
Also Urge Action to
Bor Work Stoppoee

some action to halt strikes In de-
fense industries was under way to-
day after such walkouts had been
denounced by several members yes
terday.
Representative Cox, Democrat, of
Georgia told the House that strikes
which stopped vital defense opera
tions should be declared acts of
treason"
Demanding legislation to protect
the country from these interrupt
tions, Mr.. Cox said such strikes were
"just as much sabotage as for the
crew of a ship to try to break down
operations in time of an emergency"
Representative Randolph, Demo-
crat, of West Virginia said Congress
should let the country know 1t
would permit mo stoppage of ma
tional defense production"
The Vultee strike was seen by
Representative Costello, Democrat,
of California as the first attack in
a battle to be fought ultimately
throughout the defense industries
generally under the direction of
union leaders hoping to take ad-
vantage of the national emergency"
Bottleneck in Program.
The Vultee plant was selected as
the first battle-ground, Mr.. Costello
said, because it appeared to be the
most vulnerable and hence they
would have the greatest likelihood
of success"
1T is vital bottleneck of the en-
tire defense program, by means of
which the American public can be
frightened and thereby forced to
surrender to the dictation of this
faction of the labor movement" the
Californian said.
I'm fact, if sufficient panic can be
created by the stoppage of training
plane production, this attack might
be used to start a demand for the
naturalization of the industry and
the destruction of private enterprise
in the same manner as French in
duStry was hamStrung under the
popular front government of Social
ist Leon Blum"
Inserted in Record.
Mr.. Costello inserted his remarks
in the Congressional Record after
the House adjourned before he
could deliver them orally.
He contended the Vultee walkout
was ordered by officials of the United
Automobile Workers of America
&C. I. o. because they desired
credit for automatic pay increases
ordinarily granted by the company
They wanted this strike" he said,
"to gain publicity for their efforts
and thereby attempt to discredit
not only this company but the en-
tire industry in the eyes of the
public"
Recognition of the union demands
and their ultimate application 10
other Southern California aircraft
plants, Mr.. Costello asserted, would
add IS per cent or s240,000, 900 to
the cost of the $500 900 900 in avia-
tion contracts granted those firms
by the Government.
ut is due he said, ito this seri-
Gus effect upon the ultimate cost of
the defense program that the pres
ent strike is of immediate concern
to every citizen in the land"
Arbitration Clause Issue.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the
Vultee Co. said here last night that
failure to reach a settlement of the
strike was due solely" to the re-
fusal of c. I. o. negotiators to
protect national defense production
by agreeing to an arbitration clause
in the proposed contract"
The statement said that mo ques-
ton of wages, hours or working
conditions remain between the COM
pany and the union. Full agree
ment has been reached ON these
points.
The company, however, insists
that for the term of the proposed
c0ntract-tw0 years-any differences
arising between the company and
the union should be adjusted by
arbitration, In case agreement by
negotiation fails.
Union officials have refused to
accept the arbitration clause. They
insist on full freedom to strike, in
case of failure to reach settlement
by negotiation within five days
The two-year period of the pro-
posed contract covers the term of
operations that will be necessary for
Vultee to turn out basic training
planes contracted for by the Army
Air Corps, and the fighter planes
under contract by the British Pur-
chasing Commission.
Right to Strike Reserved.
"The company submits that dur
ing this period of intensive produc-
tion for national defense, public in
terest-even more than any interest
of the company-demands that its
aircraft production be protected
against arbitrary strikes. Such pro-
lection would be afforded by the
proposed arbitration agreement.
The right to strike for better
wages and working conditions is, of
course, prerogative of labor. But
for union leadership to insist on re-
serving a right 10 strike during the
period Of a contract, can mean only
one thing, in the opinion of the COM
pany. 1t means that the union de-
sires to reserve AN opportunity fur
ther to impede the progress of our
national defense program.
THE question of granting that
right is one which no company en-
gagged in defense production should
be permitted to decide. That deci-
sion should rest with the Govern
ment and the people"
Yule Gift Sale Held