Evening star., 1941-01-09
Strike Expected
Today in Plane
Engine Plant
House Naval Group
Considers Action
In WoIkouts
3, the Associated Press.

R. j. Thomas, president of c. l.
O's United Auto Workers Union,
said today he expected c. I. o.
members employed at the Ranger
Engineering Co., Farmingdale. Long
Island, to strike sometime between
5 and pm. today.
This strike situation aroused House
Naval Committee members earlier
in the day to talk of congressional
action, after they had heard Rear
Admiral John H. Towers, chief of
naval aviation, testify that the plant,
at work on Army and Navy air.
plane engines, was an important
cog in the national defense machine
Mr.. Thomas told newspapermen
the union and the company had
been trying to negotiate an agree
ment on wages and other matters
for some time.
1T looks now as though therell
be strike tonight" Mr.. Thomas told
neWspapermen. There doesn't seem
to be anything that any one can do
about it now"
Contracts for 1000 Engines.
The company has contracts for
some 1000 airplane engines for the
Army and Navy and Admiral Towers
assertion that a strike there would
seriously" hamper the defense pro-
gram brought quick response from
committeeman.
Chairman Vinson recalled that
President Roosevelt on Monday
called for a swift and driving in
crease in arms production.
Strikes and other things" Rep
resentative Vinson said, must
stand aside and let this program go
through"
Representative Mass, Republican,
Of Minnesota spoke of military
courts-martial and then asked Ad-
miral Towers whether it was not
as important for manufacturers and
laborers to perform their duties as
it was for men in the services.
tits more important at this mo-
ment," the admiral replied.
Congressional Action Urged.
Representative Mott, Democrat, of
Oregon added a suggestion that
Congress should take a hand IF
manufacturers and workmen haven't
enough patriotism to get together"
Among visitors at the committee
hearing was Representative Smith,
Democrat, of Virginia, author of
legislation which would outlaw
strikes in defense industries.
There have been several proposals
for such law, but Chairman
Thomas of the Senate Labor Com
mittee. a strong administration sup
porter, said he did not believe it
was needed" However, concili-
alton legislation was reported being
studied in some administration cir
cles, in the thought that it might
be offered as an offset for more
drastic bills.
The possibility of a protracted
strike was discussed especially in
view of Admiral Towers previous
testimony that a shortage of air
plane engines would exist for an
other 18 months and constituted one
of the most serious "bottlenecks" in
the military aircraft program.
Situation Called Delicate.
In response to questions as to
labor conditions in other plants,
Admiral Towers said "the situation
Is a delicate one througout the in
dustry." He said that while there had
been no strike thus far that had
interfered directly with Navy air.
craft orders, Il am afraid I won't be
able to say as much tomorrow"
Pressed as to whether greater ex-
pansion of aviation plants would
help the situation, Admiral Towers
replied that I'VE are facing the risk
right now of running head-on into
the law of diminishing returns" so
that efforts at further expansion
might actually slow down output of
planes in the immediate future.
At the outset of today's meeting
Representative Vinson said repre-
sentatives of the Brewster, Curtiss-
Wright and Grumman Aircraft Cos.
would testify Monday; those from
the Glenn Martin, United Aircraft's
Vought Sikorsky subsidiary and
Stearman Cos. on Tesday; Douglas
Consolidated Thursday and North
American and Lockheed Friday.