Evening star., 1941-11-23


John Lewis to align Mr.. Roosevelt with
those whom the latter used himself to
denounce in unbridled terms. The leader
of the miners, however does not count
strongly on his own talents as dema-
gogue. Perhaps more in his favor Is the
| obvious favoritism which the adninistra-
ton is still showing to agricultural pro-
ducers and the rapidly rising price level
by which he can seem to justify labors
demands for preferential treatment.
Self-Sacrifce Not Yet Considered.
These factors help explain why the C.
strong support of administration for
eign policy, was none the less firm in its
support of the coal strike. If there is
something anomalous in the position of
Philip Murray il can be explained by the
fact that patriotism and Self-sacrifice are
rot yet synonymous in American think
ing. Far beyond the ranks of labor one
finds the belief that Hitler can be beaten
by others, without any serious personal
inconvenience or loss of group preroga-
tiveS for Americans.
Finally, as an asset bolstering the
seemingly untenable position of the
striking miners. there is the administra-
tion's general theory that Government
owes every citizen living None knows
better than Mr.. Lewis that, in spite of
booming wartime employment, relief ex-
penditures continue at practically un-
diminished level. 1t would be too much
to say that Washington actually pro-
poses indirect subsidies for those who
feel it desirable to strike against the de-
fense program. But there would be lust
enough truth in such a statement to give
it sting.
Viewed in its broader aspects. there
fore, the crisis produced by the coal
strike is seen to be at bottom problem
of governmental policies and admins
trative procedures. And this funda-
mental problem will certainly not be
solved by any hasty legislative action
designed to make defense strikes illegal,
or to replace strikers by soldiers more
skilled with the pavonet than the pick
To be effective such laws would require
a duplication of the Nazi methods We are
supposed to be fighting.
As matter of principle. and without
reference to the captive coal mines
strike. it would seem reasonable that the
policy of the closed shop, having been
carried as far as is the case, should be
accepted in full. 1t can certainly be said
that the encouragement given 10 this
policy by the administration in recent
years was most ill-advised But since
such encouragement was given, and given
effectively. it would be very difficult to
reverse the trend at this late stage.
Responsibilities for Labor.
The strongest argument against the
principle of the closed shop is the tre-
mendous power given to the operating
union, without compensating accept
ance Of that social responsibility which
should always be concomitant Of power
! It would therefore seem that the most
constructive line of action now would be
for the Government to allocate to organ
lied labor certain definite responsibilities
comparable to the power which 1t exer-
tlSrN, IDl kOOt vi CNII. outll n pOlllN
cidentally. would automa tically termi-
nate the sordid labor racketeering which
has lately been the subject of court ac-
ton
This ALLEGATION of responsibility is the
course elected in Great Britain, where
union officials have been called into the
War Cabinet and where union represent
atives as such fill administrative posts of
vital Importance in every phase of the
national effort. In Great Britain, the
machinery OF organized labor has been
adopted by, and indeed consolidated
with, that of the State.
In the United States unioniSm has
been encouraged by yet is still poten-
tally hostile to, the Government in office.
That is an impossible situation which
clearly cannot be expected to continue.
From the outcome Of the present crisis
we may therefore expect insight as to
whether the power acquired by our great
unions will be severely circumscribed, at
the cost of bitter civil strife, or whether
that power will be still further enlarged
and simultaneously balanced by the allo-
cation of very definite and restricting
RESPONSIBILITIES to the Nation as whole.