Evening star., 1941-04-08
Industry and Labor
Need 'Keener' Sense
OF Duty, Davis Says
Mediation Aide Tells
House Unit He Opposes
Forced Arbitration
Bv lhe Associated Press.

Bv lbe Associated Press.
William H. Davis, vice chairman
of the Defense Mediation Board, tes-
titled today that both industry and
labor needed to develop a "keener"
consciousness of their responsible
ties.
Mr.. Davis, in making this observa-
ton before the House Military At
fairs Committee, said he saw signs
of "a real penetration to both sides"
of the idea of responsibility.
Answering questions, he expressed
opposition to legislation outlawing
jurisdictional and union organiza-
ton strikes and declared he was
utterly opposed" to compulsory ar
bitration of defense disputes. He
likewise opposed compulsory cool
ing off" in advance of strikes.
Favors BARGAINING.
Replying to Representative Kilday,
Democrat, of Texas, Mr.. Davis ex-
pressed favor for "a thorough going
system of collective bargaining" as
SSldUllSIlCu III lldllOIldl EOilSy Qi'oSA
the National Labor Relations Act.
If we interrupt this process dur
ing this period of emergency he
said, I'VE will definitely weaken our
power to carry on against the forces
confronting us.
L venture to say" Mr.. Davis con-
tinued, that the thing that saved
England after Dunkerque was that
the English industrialists and the
English wage Garner were accus-
toned to sit down across the table
and talk to each other"
But it took Dunkerque to do it, "
commented Representative Kilday.
Mr.. Davis disagreed. He contended
that friendly relations between in
dustrialists and labor occurred dur
ing the post-World War period when
England was having hell of a
time"
Labor Has Responsibility.
"When .Dunkerque came and they
had to call on the best they had and
put Mr.. Churchill CWinston Church
lib on top and Mr.. Bevin ernest
Bevin), labor leader, next, the in
dustrialists in England were not dis
turbed because Mr.. Bevin was
brought into the government" the
witness said.
"He had called them names and
they had called him names and they
knew how to talk to him"
Nj. Davis declared that the indus
trialists in America must accept
and recognize, without reservation,
the spirit of the National Labor Re-
lations Act and the benefits of COL
lective bargaining"
ON the other hand" he added,
labor, having this law, owes an
equally great responsibility to the
opinion of mankind.
Opposes Use of Force.
The labor union ought to fight
it out before the Labor Board, us
ing their legal means, and not use
force"
Asked specifically by Representa-
tive Kilday regarding the Allis-
Chalmers strike in Milwaukee, Mr.,
Davis said that neither side" at
that factory did what I say Is
calico for from both sides"
Mr. Davis statement that he was
utterly opposed" to compulsory
arbitration was in reply to an in
quiry by Representative Davis,
Democrat, of Tennessee.
The witness added that he was in
favor of "a cooling off period" in ad-
vance of strikes IF it was agreed to
beforehand"
He said he opposed an involun-
tary requirement of that kind. Re-
plying to another question, by Rep
resentative Durham, Democrat, OF
North Carolina, Mr.. Davis asserted
that the board had had the CO.
operation of the Labor Department
100 per cent" in its efforts to end
strikes.
Suggests Quiz on Communists.
When Representative Davis in
quired whether he had found "any
reflection of Communist influences
in the International Harvester strike
the witness suggested an inquiry to
the boards chairman, Clarence A
Dykstra, who Mr.. Davis said was in
charge of the case personally.
Representative Kilday asked Mr.
Davis whether he believed Congress
would outlaw jurisdictional and
union organization strikes for the
duration of the defense emergency
my answer is no." Mr.. Davis re-
piled after a pause, but it's a big
subject"
But you recognize a vast differ
ence," Representative Kilday asked
between a strike over wages, hours
and working conditions and those
called in order to give a union the
right to represent workers in a
plant?"
There is an absolute difference,
the witness replied. They are as
different as day and night"
Discussing the Allis-Chalmers