Evening star., 1941-01-13
A. FL. Tells Congress!
II Will Fight Efforts
ToCurb Strike Rights
Labor Is Ready to Make
Sacrifices, Federation
Says; Dies Fund Asked
B, the Associated Press.

By the Associat ted Press.
The American Federation of Labor
gave Congress to understand today
that it would fight any attempt tc
legislate away labor's right tt
strike" in defense production.
Although saying its members were
ready to make sacrifices" for pre-
paredness. the Federation asserted
that it would be suicidal tC
abandon democracy" while building
an invulnerable military defense fol
the United States.
The statements were made in con-
nection with the A. F. LIS annual
legislative recommendations, made
public yesterday.
Several members of Congress have
proposed the outlawing of strikes in
vital defense industries. The A. F
LIS Metal Trades Division an
nounced a week ago through Its
president, John Frey, that it would
agree to eliminate the strike threat
in such industries if employers would
guarantee to arbitrate all labor
disputes without any work Stoppage
Asks Defense Appropriations.
The Federation also asked yester-
day that Congress authorize
promptly defense appropriations
requested by President Roosevelt
and provide "adequate' funds for
the Dies Committee and the Federal
Bureau of Investigation to investi-
gate and suppress "the activities OF
direct agents Of hostile foreign
governments in our country, and
fifth-column movements
Elsewhere in the field Of defense
there were these developments:
Secretary of War Stimson an
nounced creation of a seven-man
committee to devise means OF pro-
tecting the civilian population from
air raids and other forms OF attack
in the event of war. The group, ht
said. would consider "air raid bomt
shelters, water supply and power,
among other things.
Secretary Stimson asked Walter
D. Binger of the American Society
of Civil Engineers, New York City
to be chairman of the new commit
tee. Other members, each repre-
senting a national engineering or
ganization, are: w. H. Carrier O.
the American Society of Heating
and Ventilating Engineers, Syracuse
N. Y; Harry E. Jordan, American
WaterWorks Association, New Yorl
City; A. B. Ray, American 1nstl'
tute of Chemical Engineers, New
York City; Abel Wolman, American
Public Health Association, Baltl'
more; James L. Walsh, American
Society of Mechanical Engineers
New York City. and Scott Tuener
American Institute of Mining ant
Metallurgical Engineers, New Yorl
City.
Mai. Eugene w. Ridings of th'
War Department General Staff wa
designated to act as the military
contact member with the group.
Legislators Asked to Meeting.
The War Department invited the
House Military Affairs Committee
to a meeting Wednesday at which
the members may learn about prog
ress of the defense program. Somt
said this might open the way fol
revival of the World War practice
of bringing together every week de-
fense officials and congressional
committees and thus make unne-
cessary formal public hearings or
defense legislation.
The Foreign Policy Association
recommended that the Government
move speedily to safeguard against
attack "by way of South America
on the Panama Canal and, subse-
quently, the United States"
Acquisition of Atlantic Coast
bases from Great Britain, 1t de.
clared, virtually remove the "feasi.
bility of invasion by the northern
route"
In it's recommendation to Con
gress. the A. F. L., estimating cur.
rent unemployment at 100000, ex.
pressed willingness to have relic
appropriations reduced in view O.
quickening defense hiring, but in
sisted on adequate provision TO
those unable to find jobs in in
duStry."
Labor Act Changes Urged.
The federation recommended fiv,
changes in the National Labor Rela
tions Act to guard against possible
future maladministration." Thes
were.
l. Opportunity for skilled EN-
ployes and recognized classification
of workers "to retain their separat
unity if they so desire"
2. Direct court appeals by union
in representation cases.
g. Amendments preserving tn
integrity of collective bargainin
agreements lawfully entered into b
bona fide labor organizations"
4. Amendments to eliminate tn
outrageous delays that jeopardiz
the organizational gains made b
many labor unions"
5. A five-member Labor Relation
Board.
Other points in the program in
cluded: Extension of Housing Ac
to provide homes for workers in de
fense industries, extension of tn
Farm Security Administration
migratory labor camp program an
of the low-cost rural housing pro
gram. and opposition to wage cut
and false economies" among lower
n paid Government emploves.