The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1941-11-20
A LABOR TRAGEDY

Members Of the United Mine Work
ers of America, now on strike, try t.
tell themselves that their contest is
not with the Government but with
obdurate representatives of capital in
few Of the steel companies But the
setting is such that an interruption of
full capacity production in coal and
steel has immediate and potentially
dire effect on the defense program CT
the Government and on the security
Of all Americans while the effect OH
the companies becomes secondary.
Could the companies save the situa-
ton by concessions as the unions are
being asked to concede a long time
aspiration? There is some indication
that the United States Steel Corpora,
ton and Youngstown Sheet & Tube
Company might be willing to do this,
though the Bethlehem Steel Corpora
ton refuses. If there We're any CORE
spending indication that the C. |. O.
would give them assurance against the
extension of the union shop demand
into the entire steel industry, an
agreement to complete the unioniza-
ton Of the captive" mines would be
defensible.
But in the absence of such commi.
ment the companies-and likewise the
vernment-evidently have felt that
if showdown must come it may as
well come now as later, and indeed
may better come in the mines than in
the steel mills.
To this tragic test and to this re.
grettable position have the United
Mine Workers been brought by the
misguided and self-aggrandizinq
leadership, or attempted leadership
of John L. Lewis. His group has,put
at stake the livelihood of thousands Oh
miners and the safety Of the Nation.
Against that gamble the President
of the United States now is obliged tc
call upon the individual members OF
the mine workers union to ignore
their usual leaders and go back into
the mines at the existing agreed wages
and hours to help produce coal as Q
patriotic duty.
That appear should succeed.
There is sound reason to believe
that as miners sense the true situation
it will succeed.
If the Lewis. group persists in the
enforced shutdown, it is probable that
Congress will back up President
Roosevelt by enacting anti-strike
legislation. This ought to contain a
compulsory waiting period for con
citation before defense strikes, and tu
require Government-super
strike vote. 1t could reasonably out
law, during the emergency, any strike
for the closed shop and any jurisdic-
tional or sympathetic strike-ths on
pain of forfeiture of union recognition
under the National Labor Relations
Act. There might also be prohibitions
of mass picketing and of coercion or
intimidation by union members.
1t would be unfortunate if the legis-
lation should go farther than this and
sweep away legitimate gains of labor
or introduce heavy criminal penalties
into what should be a matter of civil
law. But it would be wholesome if
Congress would act instantly-would
clear the way for passage within the
the week of legislation along sound
lines.
The direct legal effect on the present
walkout might not be great, but the
moral effect on the C. l. O. convention
in Detroit would be to show what pub
lie disfavor and unfortunate reaction
have been brought upon the who IL
cause of organized labor by over
ambitiuos, dictatorial misleadership.
This situation-once recognized by
labor itself-which is inherently loyal
to America and to the democratic ira
ditions in which true unionism has its
roost, the solution of the difficulties
should not be impossible. Organized
business should not seek to capitalize
reaction. Organized labor must not
seek to capitalize its advantages tc
the detriment of the Nation in whicr
all are part.-Christian Science Moni.
tor.