Evening star., 1941-03-27
Mediation
Continued From First Page.)

ton OF our defense program by
strikes. that you Immediately GER
tify to the National Mediation Board
all strikes affecting our defense pro-
gram where your own concillatiOn
efforts have been so far unavailing.
I want to impress upon you that
time is of the essence and that no
delay must occur in prompt action
to prevent strikes both present and
future from interrupting aid to
Great Britain and our own defense
program
Senator Byrd revealed also he has
asked Secretary of War Stimson for
a complete report "of the fees being
charged by the unions before a per-
son can obtain work on defense
projects; whether employment is
denied to free Americans until and
unless such fees have been paid. re-
gardless of the skill and ability Of
the applicant to perform the duties
for which he has applied: and then.
to what extent the eXaction of the
payment of such fees has increased
the cost of such projects and caused
a delay in the completion of the
work"
Assails Chickering's"
Calling attention to the tragic
fate of France, Senator Byrd said
I'VE must first recognize that no
nation has ever successfully accom-
plished military preparedness by
working 40 hours week"
During the current month it is
estimated that 100000 man days
will be lost by strikes in defense
industries. and lost irreparably at
a time when every hour and every
minute count, and when the Nation
is being unified and keyed to quick
action in colossal effort to meet
and overcome conditions which en-
danger our country"
Senator Byrd said he wanted JUS
tice done every workingman, but
Interruptions of work caused by
chickering's and jealousies among
unions should not be tolerated at
the expense of the security of our
Republic" Continuing, he asserted:
] know of nothing more inde-
fensible than the character of the
strike which held up for days the
air defense at the Army Air Corps
Wright Field, in Dayton, Ohio. This
strike was denounced by the
War Department as being for reas-
ons toe trivial to justify any inter-
ruption. The only reason assigned
for it was that the regular workmen
belonging to the A. F.. of L. OBJ
Jectec to working with the five
men engaged on sub-electrical con-
tracts who belonged to the c. I. o.
union. 1t is fantastic that our de-
tense program should be held up
even for one minute for such a
petty reason"
Menace to Our Security"
1T is, of course, true" Senator
Byrd said, that even if strikes are
certified by the Secretary of Labor
to the new Mediation Board, this
new board has no power to act
and can only make, under the terms
OF the executive order, reasonable
efforts to adjust and settle any such
controversy or dispute by assisting
the parties thereto to negotiate
agreements for that purpose
In referring to union fees. Senator
Byrd declared, "it has been shown
in detail by reliable newspapers, and
not yet denied, that at Fort Meade,
the labor unions have exacted the
sum of 100000 from those who
have applied for work on this i'm
portant project
He called on Congress to forget
political considerations and "act
with promptness and courage to meet
this menace that has arisen to our
security and welfare"
Charges Communist Fraud.
Representative Dies remarks
came in another of his series of
daily reports" to the House regard
ing what he called subversive activ-
tiles. He reminded the members
that he previously had informed
them that Harold Christoffel, presi-
dent of the striking union at the
Allis-C Chalmers plant, "has a record
Of Communist Affiliations"
There was nothing extraordinary
In the fact that a trade union local
under such leadership cast 1900
fraudulent ballots when the strike
vote was TAKEN" Mr.. Dies asserted.
That sort of thing will continue as
long as Communist leadership is
tolerated in labor unions. Fraud is
one of the methods frequently en-
ployed by the Communist party to
attain its ends
In brief speech, Representative
Rich, Republican, of Pennsylvania
expressed belief that the new Media
ton Board would be ineffective be-
cause under President Roosevelt's
executive order the board does not
act until Secretary Perkins has certi-
fed a particular strike.
Everybody knows" Mr.. Rich
shouted, that Miss Perkins is not