Evening star., 1941-01-30

MT. NllSOQ, as DAVID La"rehce'
chairman of the House Naval Affairs
Committee, has been insistent for
several years on educational orders
to keep the industries that supply
the Navy up to date. He has made
q masterful study of the whole naval
problem, and when he comes to the
conclusion that something stands in
the way of progress for the United
States Navy he doesn't let any stone
remain unturned to attain his OBJ
1ective.
The labor problem is a ticklish
one. Timid political folks stay away
from it. But some one had to tackle
1t and put the question before the
American people or else see the ma
tional defense program slowly
broken down and aid to Britain re-
tarded.
Now the odd part of it is that
most of Americas labor leaders are
as eager to see defense strikes
avoided as is anybody in Congress.
But what the labor leaders do not
concede is that the present collective
bargaining laws are being abused,
Profiteering in union dues and ini-
tiation fees is as much condemned
by public opinion as is proflteering
by companies with Government con-
tracts. The real difficulty is that
the Wagner Act, while aimed at de-
sirable objectives, is being used now
as an instrument to break down the
defense program and prevent aid
from getting to Britain in time. The
remedy, of course, is not to repeal
the Wagner Act, but to prohibit GER
tain abuses, and especially to pre-
vent agents of foreign governments
from playing on the feelings of labor
leaders and using them as tools to
foment labor strife.
Strikes Nazis' Weapon Here.
The most natural weapon for
the Na4is to use today in America
Is the unlimited and unrestricted
right to strike which is possessed
by union labor 1t is relatively SIM
pie to stir up trouble in many de-
fense plants. The Wagner Act, as
interpreted by the National Labor
Relations Board, virtually compels
unionization if a small minority
can get foothold in an unorgan-
tied industry. The desire for union
membership dues and initiation fees
actuates the union organizer who
sees a legitimate opportunity to
increase his own income through
the commissions he is paid on the
total number of new employees
brought into the unions. War in
duStries are increasing the total
number of persons employed. and
that's what makes it boom time
for labor organizers.
But the agents of foreign gov
ernrents would get no benefit out
of unionization itself. They know
It can best be obtained, however,
through strikes. This means picket
lines. coercion and usually tie-up
for brief periods, to be sure, but
none the less, when added up it
makes exactly the kind of Sabo-
tagging delay the Nazis would like
10 see.
It Is more than a coincidence
tnat strikes are bel1eVed to be null
tiplying more rapidly in the de-
fense than the non-defense indus
tries. The customary explanation is
that these are new industries but,
on the other hand, it is a fact that
local leaders are calling strikes
without consultation with national
officers and that time is not being
allowed for the mediation or con-
ciliation machinery to operate.
U. S. Negotiators SkillfuI.
The Cancellation service of the De-
partment of Labor is one of the most
efficient agencies in the whole Gov
eminent and also one of the most
useful and constructive. It's repre-
sentatives are skillful in bringing
warning sides together and avoiding
disputes, but again and again these
conciliators are given the cold
shoulder by labor organizers who
insist on calling the strikes no mat
ter how earnestly the representatives
of the United States Government
may plead for period of waiting
before work is interrupted.
Representative Vinson has intro