The Coolidge examiner., 1941-10-24
S|,7E!A:
I:
WASHINGTON

that strikes in defense industries.
many of which were inspired by
Communist groups, would come to
quick end. The fall-off in strikes
Immediately following the invas-
ion bore that belief-but recently
new strikes have flared up in so
many places that they are imperil
ing defense production perhaps
more than at any time since our
emergency program began.
Government officials here, whose
job 1t is to keep an accurate rec
ord Of the pulse of public opinion
are plainly worried over the re-
action to these strikes which have
been headlined in the daily news
papers and on the radio as stop
ping defense production. These in
clude such strikes as the one
the Spicer plant in Toledo, Ohio
which makes 20 per cent of trans
missions for army tanks; the
month-long strike at the Calico
Chemical in New Jersey, which
would have halted operations in
the entire rubber industry If the
men hadn't finally agreed to go
back to work pending a settle
ment: and the Robins Dry Dock
strike which stopped work on l.
ships urgently needed by the navy.
Officials in the Office of Produc
ton Management. who are respon.
sible for keeping the defense pro
gram going at top speed, fear that
each strike of this kind weakens
public morale.
There are many in Washington.
including members of the Presi-
dents cabinet, who favor an i'm
mediate declaration of war against
Germany as the only sure way to
get our defense program into high
gear. II we were actually at war
the government would undoubted
ly take action to prevent strikes.
but 1t Is difficult for most people
to understand why such action
cannot be taken without being in
state OF war. Ii Is clear that
many labor groups are taking tho
attitude that they will "get while
the getting is good" which means
they will probably continue to i'm
pede defense production if neces
sary, to serve their own ends. un
til the government puts a stop t.
II. But when the public has clear
ly expressed it's approval of stop
ping all strikes by law II neces
sary. IL is hard to undstand why
the President and congress hold
back SO against taking such &C
tion.
The President has urged labor
groups to use all the mediation
machinery of the government be-
fore resorting to strikes and even
William Green, A. F. of l.. presi
dent, has called upon every mem
Der of the federation to stay on
the job and keep defense produc-
ton going at full blast until the
enemies OF America are soundiy
defeated" But these pleas for
voluntary cooperation seem to
fall on deaf ears.
Even the Daily Worker, Com
munist newspaper which had here
tofore favored strikes backed by
Communists, has urged labor 10
stay on the job. In an editoria
that newspaper said: Anything
that interferes with production OF
| needed war supplies can only help
Hitler and weaken the defense OF
the United States"
Many congressman feel that
freezing of wages, coupled Win
freezing of prices, is the logical
answer to the situation, but mos
of them are unwilling to take the
lead in pushing such measures
More and more in informed quai
ters here we hear the view that a
| declaration of war will be sought
rather than remedial legislation
] as the only satisfactory method Of
| getting immediate action to re
move the money-wrenches from
our defense machinery.
Congress continues to show NJ
hesitation in voting unlimited ap
propriations for defense produc
ton, it's pussyfoot attitude being
confined to legislation which would
antagonize groups of voters, sucl
as the large labor vote. The
house passed in the second lease
lend bill, amounting to about Sc
900 100000, by an overwhelming
vote of 32S to 81.
This, incidentally, is the frs
major bill passed by the hous'
since the beginning of the emerg
ency, in which the vote has brok
en- through party lines. For th'
first time. the Republicans linet
up with the Democrats in support
ing an ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
bill, even on favoring aid to Rus
sia which was expected to be
bitterly debated subject. 1t i
hoped in Washington that thi
vote indicates a greater unity II