The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-12-11
Facing The Foc+s
With PHILIP PEARL

Because business as we'll as labor
protested, Congress has definitely
abandoned the idea of compulsory
arbitration and is now tinkering with
various sorts of "cooling-off" pro-
posals as a preventative Of defense
strikes.
Experience has proved that manda-
tory "cooling-off" periods are a nos
trum. They do not cure strike cpl
denies. They do not even provide as
much relief as an aspirin for head
ache.
Let US see how this quack medicine
works out in practice. Three states
Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin,
have "cooling-off" legislation on their
statute books. Yet we venture to
guess that the proportion of strikes
in these three states over the past two
years has been greater than the av-
erage Of the rest of the country.
AS a recent newspaper survey dis
closed, the "coolng-o off" provision
serves only to heat things up. For in
stance, if a contract between manage
ment and labor in a plant is about to
expire, the ordinary course Of pro-
cedure is to open peaceful negotia-
tions for it's renewal with the usual
debate over demands for improve
ment of conditions. The issues are
talked over, there is give and take by
both sides and, normally, new con-
tract is drawn up and signed without
too much trouble and, certainly, with
out open strife. Both sides wish to
preserve friendly contractual rela-
tions.
Cloudy and Warmer
But when the picture is clouded by
mandatory Cooling off" legislation, a
new and threatening element inter
venes The union, fearing the loss OF
bargaining power because it cannot
strike without notice, files intention
of calling a strike at least thirty days
! before the expiration Of the contract
Just to be on the safe side. Thus, the
negotiations are begun in an atmos-
phere of hostility. More often than
not, this hostility crystallizes into bit
| terness and the strike actually eventu-
ates, instead Of a new agreement.
Is that what Congress wants to sec
happen on a national scale? Is that
going to help the defense program
Is tt t going to assure smooth ano
uninterrupted production?
The American Federation of Labor
is convinced that Federal Cooling.
off" law will incite trouble instead OF
preventing it. We consider such legis,
! lation dangerous and harmful to the
defense program. We urge Congress
to reject it not only for the sake OF
labor, but for the national interest.
The trouble is that many members
of Congress hakTfnade up their mind:
that "there ought to be law" ant
they don't know what kind of a Law
will work. Neither does anyone else
This doesn't IMPLY widespread ignor
ance of the problem. 1t merely prove!
that no law in and Of itself will cure
the basic trouble.
AS we have said repeatedly in tn,
past, no law can force man to worl
against his will. The best means Il
assure the elimination of defens'
strikes is to establish fair and equita
BILE conditions in industry so tina
labor will have no cause to strike.
Old Man of the Sea
More and more, as the debate il
Congress continues, it becomes clea
that the purpose behind the pendin,
anti-strike legislation is punitive AM
that in order to punish one man
John l.. Lewis-the lawmakers ar
preparing to destroy the freedom o
all workers.
Thus we read Rep. Robert Ram
specll, lifelong friend of labor VIII
is now sponsoring an anti-strike bill
quoted as saying in self justification
81 came to the conclusion that tn
time had come to find out whether tn
, Government is run by the duly electe