Evening star., 1941-01-20

too often by the broken promises o
those who control the aegreSSor nations
Where there is no mutual trust there can be
no peace.
To achieve ational unity Americans
must trust each other. In the field of labor
relations symbol of trust between men anC
management is their mutual adoption of the
procedure of collective bargaining. Those who
undertake to negotiate in good faith have
laid aside their weapons. The employer nc
longer has cause to discharge or discriminate
against workers who wish to organize. The
workers have no cause to oppose their en-
ployers. except insofar as bargaining is inhe-
rently give-and-take process TO resolve OPP
posing views. But the most stormy bargaining
session is at least open resolution OF
difficulties. done in full daylight, by people
responsible to their constituents and to public
opinion. II is the secret opposition TO en-
ployers by unorganized workers which most
frequently creates bad morale GiSunity and
instability
This country is in far better shape IN these
matters than it was during the war emergency
of 1917-19l8 Then the procedures of collective
bargaining had to be suddenly imposed on
people for the most part unused TO its practice.
The bargainers had not tested out each
others mettle nor learned through negotiation
how mutually to settle the Infinitely complex
problems of the modern industrial relation
ship. In those days the war emergency alone
kept collective bargaining in force. When
that emergency relaxed We had the industrial
chaos of 1919, when more than 100000
workers went out on strike, the greatest num-
Der in our history
Very fortunately ma ourselves TO-DAY
with several years of experience with tue
aDlJ1 1,I,1-,, IL JalN,
Relations Act five years ago defined those
worker rights which must be protected If
workers We're to be free TO select representa-
tiveS to meet the representatives of industry
IN even-handed negotiation. The Labor Act
has now been clarified by the courts in many
decisions. Employers know that they may
keep control of plant discipline, but that they
may not destroy the legitimate aspirations
of their workers to organize The workers
know that they may not indulge in violence
and still maintain til ir rights under the act
Employers know that While they need not
accept demands as profIereG. they must offer
counter proposals in good faith. Employers
know that when terms are mutually agreed
upon their embodiment in a written contract
Is obligatory.
The era of uncertainty as 10 obligations
under the Labor Act is past The principles
of worker organization and collective bargain
ing have, with certain exceptions been ac-
Cepted by industry, and are every day being
put into wider practice In the degree that this
is are that far ahead of those days in
1917 when the Government first announced
that collective bargaining was the law of the
land.
ITO understand tllI fuL-t4uE CT the National
Labor Relations Act in the achievement of
national unity. the distinction must be clearly
drawn between the Labor Boards function
of protecting collective bargaining and the
function of other agencies. notably the Con-
citation Service Of the Department Of Labor,
in mediating disputes which deal not with
alleged unfair labor practice, but with such
questions as wages and hours
The Labor Boards function is basic but
q comparatively narrow one. II upholdS
worker rights to organize free from employer
interference. 1t holds secret ballot elections
in which workers may choose their repre-
sentatives. 1t brings the representatives of
industry and labor to the bargaining table and
tells them, whether they can agree or not that
they at least must make an honest effort to
do so. The sole object of the act is to achieve
through their mutual agreement stable,
thoroughly understood working relationship
Suppose that the board has brought them
to the conference table hut that there they
disagree and ono or the other party threatens
to use the economic pressure of lockout or
strike With that dispute the board may not
have concern. 1t is a situation calling for
mediation arbitration. In times sucl as
these OF rapidly increasing production there
is need for greatly augmented national
mediation machinery. 1t is problem d"serv-
ing immediate and thorough study. Under
our act. however. it cannot he the Labor
PnardS nrnhlcm cnd mfnliOr L Ii.rIC-,.