The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1941-12-04
(By Staff Writer)

Inc 1nQlSlldIlOl III IllC AloiAo "
congress against John l.. Lewis
has not abated because OF Mr.
Lewis decision to permit the coal
miners to return to work. Con-
gressmen were surprised to learn
of the decision of the head OF the
coal miners union to accept the
verdict of a three-man arbitration
board, most of them having felt
that the army would have to take
over the coal mines before set
tlement would be reached, but
they remain intensely suspicious
of Mr.. Lewis motives and of his
willingness to put the interests OF
defense above the interests of his
union.
Among the large anti-LeWis
group in congress it is felt that
Mr.. Lewis accepted the arbitra-
ton plan only because he felt GER
tain that the board would vote in
favor of the closed shop-the only
issue in the coal strike which was
responsible for a loss in steel pro-
duction equal to the amount used
in building 80 destroyers.
The members named to the
board by the President, which was
acceptable to Mr.. Lewis, were Mr.,
Lewis himself, BENJAMIN F. Fair
less, president of the United
States Steel corporation. and DR..
John r. Steelman, director of the
United States Cancellation service.
It was more or less for granted
that the actual decision on the
closed shop would rest entirely in
DR.. Steelman's hands-since Mr..
Fairless would vote against a
closed shop and Mr.. Lewis, of
course, would be for it.
Since the President had said
that the government will never
order a closed shop, DR.. Steelman
disassociated himself from the gov
eminent while serving on the
board. To many in Washington
this seemed a rather flimsy tech
nicality for making it possible for
a closed shop to be approved. It
was feared that the President was
using this as means of saving his
face while giving in to Mr.. Lewis
For it was generally believed
Mr.. Lewis considered himself the
victor when man of DR.. Steel
mans reputation Of sympathy for
coal miners was named to the
board.
To draw attention away from
his apparent yielding to Mr.. Lew
is, the president gave partial
Ego ahead" signal for congress to
work on legislation for curling
strikes. Following a conference
with the President, Rep. Mary
Norton of the house labor COM
mittee, said the President had not
suggested specific legislation but
had left it up to the committee.
Saying that it was unfortunate
that labor had forced the need
for legislation, Mrs. Norton stat
ed that something has to be done
about it and expressed the hope
that the committee would frame
a bill that will not destroy la
boris gains made during the past
eight years, but that will compel
labor to understand that we are
in an emergency and that they
have got to conform to the sit
uation."
For the past year, while there
has been growing demand for
curbs on strikes, it has been gene
rally conceded by congress that
no legislation could be put
through without the approval of !
the President. Now that he has
approved the framing of legisla-
ton" it is expected that this will
be attended to quickly, but there
are many congressman who be-
lieve there will be further de-
lays in actual passage unless the
President urges such legislation
in stronger terms than he has
used so far. The final decision in
the threatened railroad employ
ees' strike is expected to deter
mine the Presidents next move.
1t is felt possible that labor diff
ficulties will add to the public de-
mand for ceiling on wages, a
subject which most congressman
would like to avoid, but which
has ben proposed in conjunction
with the price control bill on
which they are being forced to
act. It is held improbable that a
wage ceiling will be included in
price legislation, although many
congressman admit privately that
they favor such curb. But, as
in so many measures of this kind,
congress fears the repercussions
from voters who consider them
selves hurt by legislation.
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