Evening star., 1941-04-02

leaders would seek effective leeis-
lation Immediately to remove the
strike threat to our defense indus
try" He said Secretary Perkins was
exceedingly derelict" in failing to
certify to the National Mediation
Board the Allis- Chalmers strike at
Milwaukee, Wis.
Would Take Over Plants.
Senator Connally Of Texas advo-
Gated legislation authorizing the
President to take over any plant
where a strike was holding up de-
fense production. Senator Overton
of Louisiana said he was willing
to go further" and vote to prohibit
striking workers from preventing
men from going to work in defense
plants.
Senator Byrd called on the Gov
ernment to act with firmness to
reopen" the Allis- s-Chalmers plant.
Earlier it had been announced at
the White House that q telegram
from Gov. Julius P He'll of Wiscon-
sin, suggesting Federal action in the
strike, had been referred to the
Office of Production Management
and other interested agencies
Calling attention to the provision
Congress wrote into the draft law
giving the President the right to
take over plants if the owners re-
fuse to accept and give preference
TO defense contracts, Senator Con-
nally declared:
1T seems to me that fundamental
ly, there Is no difference between an
employer refusing to produce and
an employe refusing, and if had
my way I would authorize the
President to direct the Secretaries
of War and Navy to take over
plants that are not producing"
Connally Warns Labor.
The Government, he said should
be authorized to step in and operate
such plants lin public interest and
the public interest alone" The
Government, he said could be re-
lied upon to pay fair wages, but
not to act at the dictates of either
capital or labor"
"I want to warn labor, as one who
has always sympathized with it, that
the actions of some of its leaders
is bringing it face to face with the
danger of much of its gains being
sacrificed" the Texan continued.
Senator Wheeler Democrat, of
Montana interrupted to say that,
from newspaper accounts Of the
Allis- Chalmers strike, it appeared
that Government defense officials
made a proposition which the men
accepted but the company did not
and that then the Government Off
GERS told the plant to reopen.
He said also that newspaper re-
ports of the soft coal strike indi-
Gated the miners were willing to re-
main at work pending negotiations,
If any agreement subsequently
reached was made effective as Of
April l. He said that seemed fair
to him.
The Montana Senator said his
point was that Eve want to be
fair" In spending billions for de-
tense, he continued, the manufac-
turers are getting good profits, which
prompts the workers to ask for bet
ter terms. In times like this, he
argued, both capital and labor
should be willing to make sacrifices
In order that production may 60 on,
Byrd Asks Perkins Report.
Under my proposition" Senator
Connally rejoined, 1T does not make
any difference whether its capital or
labor. say the Government should
step in and take charge"
Senator Byrd, who spoke last week
on the strike situation today pointed
out that labor troubles are continu-
ing to delay defense contracts. In
his earlier speech he had urged the
Secretary Of Labor to certify to the
new Mediation Board all disputes
the Labor Department has not set
tied. The Virginian made public
today the following message he sent
today to Miss Perkins:
'1 feel that the Congress and the
country are entitled to a full and
complete explanation from you as to
why you have failed to certify to
the National Mediation Board the
Allis- Chalmers strike. Mr.. William