Evening star., 1941-11-29

trate, but somebody happened to
forget to invite the other steel COM
panies into the picture.
Usually, when there's an arbltra-
ton proposal, each party is asked in |
advance and told the terms or pro-
cedure Of the suggested arbitration |
and then given a chance to accept or
reject the invitation. This, it turns |
out, was not done. Mr.. Roosevelt .
got in touch with Mr.. Lewis and /
with the executives of the United |
States Steel Corp. but the other steel I.
companies that own captive mines
read in the newspapers that they
were supposed to be parties to the
arbitration.
This amazing set of circumstances
appears not to have been discovered
until few days ago when DR.. John
r. Steelman selected by the Presi-
cent to act as impartial arbitrator
with Mr.. Lewis and Benjamin Fair
less of United States Steel, heard re-
ports about the doubtful scope of the
arbitration he was supposed to be
handling. He promptly sent tele-
grams to all the steel companies in
volved and asked them if they would
accept the results Of the arbitration.
Some Reluctant to Reply.
There is some reason to believe
that some Of the smaller steel COM
panies are reluctant TO answer.
They are represented as believing
that inasmuCh as the National De-
fense Mediation Board refused twice
to recommend a closed shop, there
is nothing 10 arbitrate. They are
reported TO have said that the mat
ter Of closed or open shop Is basic
principle which does not lend itself
to arbitration.
IF this view is retained by the
smaller steel companies, then the
President has appointed an arbi-
traitor who will merely decide as
between a few steel companies and
the United Mine Workers. The
assumption that the larger COM
panics in the steel business can
sneak for the smaller ones or
that there is concerted action
among them is a fallacy. The ac-
t.vitios of the Justice Department
or the Sherman Antitrust Law
might have apprised the President
that it is dangerous for executives of
rival or competing companies even
to be seen with each other. let alone
to expect them to decide labor policy
as an industry or group.
What irks some Of the steel men
Is that Mr.. Lewis knew who the third
arbitrator was to be before he ac-
cepted the arbitration proposal and
that now the smaller steel COM
panies are expected to fall into line
and accept as binding the decisions
of an arbiter who is really a Govern
ment official.
Subterfuge Seen.
The assumption that Dr.. Steelman
Is a private citizen "on leave OF ab-
sence" from the Labor Department
where his boss is Secretary Perkins
Is little too big for the steel men
tn swallow. They say that 1t Is a
mere subterfuge and that II the
p,1rpose is to enable the President
70 hack down and force closed shop
m the coal mines in the steel IN
dustrv. then the Administration VIII
have stultifed itself. For 1t Will nave
told the country that the Govern
ment can not and will not compel
ANYBODY to accept closed shop ana
vet here is an arbiter who has oeen
IN the Government till last week
and who goes back again next week.
IF he decides for A closed shop, will
ANYBODY believe that the President
himself didn't force closed shop
on the steel men?
It is beginning 10 be said that
The President surrendered to Mr..
Lewis and that Mr.. Roosevelt isn't
going to exert himself to get legis-
lation preventing defense strikes.
passing the buck to Congress to do
the irksome Job of writing and push
ing through antl-strike legislation.
The labor lobbes knowing that Mr..
Roosevelt is wobbling on the issue
are getting busy with the hope OF
tonine down considerably if not de-
feating altogether. any OF the pro-
nosed anti-strike bills. Certainly the
inside story of how the arbitration
nroposal was handled has not en-
HANGED the Administrations pres
tice as a sincere advocate OF unin-
terr,Ipted national defense produc-
tion With the japanese SITUATION
growing more serious and Win price
control and allocations Of materials
causing hardships and unemploy'
ment, to say nothing of the torcec
closing of many small businesses
II is likely that there will be a revol
in Congress as soon as 1t becomes
apparent that scheme to surrender
To Mr.. Lewis has been foisted or
the steel industry. The failure U
deal with the steel companies on INT
same basis as with Mr.. Lewis, anc
the appointment of a Government
official when the industry expected
some one outside the Government
who had had no previous connection
with the coal mining controversy
are not very eloquent testimonial
to the ability of the Administration
TO manage vital affairs Of nationa
defense in these troublous times.
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