The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-03-27
Facing The Facts
With PHILIP PEARL

ItIleS LIldL ITeSiuelL ItOOSeNelJ ) Qe-
cision to appoint new Labor Board
to mediate in defense industries was
due mainly to the fact that he has
begun to "veer away from consider
ing strikes in their quantitative as
pect and to regard them qualitative
ly."
If that is true, it is good news.
Viewed quantitatively-that is, from
the point of view of their number
and effective on the defense program
the strikes reported to date have
been inconsequential. But viewed
qualitatively-that is another and
more significant story.
Even a casual review Of the quality
Of defense strikes shows first of all
that the great. majority of them have
been called by CIO unions. There have
been only a few strikes by AFL
unions
When we examine these disputes
more closely we find that the CIO
strikes have been more bitter and
more prolonged than those instituted
! by AFL unions. For the most part
| the AFL strikes have been settled
| quickly and satisfactorily to all con-
cerned.
The Communist Method
/ The Presidents new mediation
board will find that this is due to the
fact that the Go strikes have been
mainly "organizational" in character.
In other words, the unions involved
were trying to organize the workers
| by the strike method. This is a ques-
tionabe method 1t is of Communist
origin. 1t has been followed by the
CIO ever since the ''sit-down" days.
The strategy Of such strikes is
simple. In the first place, the union
organizes only small minority of the
workers in a plant. With this nucleus
it calls strike and imports pickets
to make it effective. In short, the ma
jority Of the workers are locked out
by an active minority. Then the union,
through the Go, Immediately seeks
to exert pressure on the Federal Gov
ernment to bring the employer into
line and have him sign an agreement
in which he recognizes the CIO union
as the bargaining agency for his en-
ployes.
When the industry involved is vital
to national defense, it can readily be
seen how both the Government and
the emplOyer-to say nothing of the
majority Of the workers-are likely to
fall victim to such intimidation be-
cause Of their anxiety to maintain
production without interruption.
In view Of these circumstances, it is
obvious why Philip Murray, the CIO
puppet president, bitterly opposed the
new mediation board up to the last
minute A union which calls a strike
without members, union whose pri-
mary objective is recognition, union
which has no claim on the allegiance
and respect Of the workers involved
in a strike, has no leg to stand on
in court. And the mediation board
will be something like a court. 1t
will not and cannot stand for intim-
idation from any source if it is to
function effectively.
AFL Takes Patriotic Stand
Continuing to examine defense
strikes from a qualitative standpoint,
it will we found that most of the
strikes called by AFL unions were
for the purpose of obtaining increased
wages or better working conditions.
In such strikes mediation is the nat
ural means of settlement. Once the
facts in the case are clearly estab-
lished it can be determined to what
extent the union demands are justi-
fed and should be met by the en-
ployer,
In this connection, we want to
emphasize that the American Fedora
ton Of Labor's Executive Council was
the first to recommend creation of
defense labor mediation board. The
council pointed out that during the
last war the Government created a
War Labor Board which functioned
effectively and kept industrial strife
down to a minimum. 1t urged the ap-
pointment of a similar board in the
present defense emergency.
President William Green followed
up this action of the council by in
forming President Roosevelt at a
White House conference the other
day that the AFL Fundamentally
supported his plans for a new media
ton board.
BY taking this position, President
Green and the Executive Council
served notice on the entire country
that the American Federation Of La
Dor is sincere in its patriotic policy
Of seeking to prevent strikes in de-
fense industries. The American Fed
Grafton of Labor said to the people of
America:
eve do not want strikes When diff
ferences arise, we are willing to sub
nit our case to an impartial Federal
agency for settlement on the merits
We are anxious to cooperate to the
fullest extent in the defense pro-
gram"
We leave it to the public to figure
out what the CIO policy of opposition
means.