Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-11-18
Mediation
Council
Doomed
Roosevelt, HiIImon Seek
More Effective Body
BY PAUL MALLON

Nv SA'iiAA''A DANI WV 10
W Mr.. Roosevelt's labor peace
promotion outfit tthe mediation
board) looks like a dead ele-
plant, although obituary notices
have not been posted.
Strangely enough, the political
doctors around the bedside are
not attributing her passing TO
the arsenic spread upon the
grass around there by John l..
Lewis. His poisonous antagonism
need not have proved fatal.
Rather, it appears Mr.. Roose-
welt and his defense labor coun-
sci Sidney Hillman decided the
time has come for something
new-and more effective. F. d. r.
stepped out courageously in his
tiff with Lewis by announcing
the government will never here
after use its influence for the
closed shop. In the captive coal
announcement with which Mr..
Hillman had much to do the
President made clear his adj
ministration would not thus play
Hitler for Lewis or any other
labor leader.
WHAT was right and just, be-
L cause the closed shop de-
livers the job of the worker
over to the union leader with
the right to hire and fire. But
it just so happens that 1.-The
mediation board has at least
played something like gauleiter
for union bosses in some 20
cases.
The board has recommended
the closed shop in that many
instances in the past, and has
accepted the theory (more often
automatically called union
maintenance in about 20 more
strike settlements.
AS the same closed shop
theory is involved in at least 40
per cent of the labor disputes
these days, the new government
policy will unquestionably cause
union leaders lAF'L as we'll as
CIO) to shy away from the
board. They can hardly be ex-
pected TO cooperate in media
ton already pledged against
this principle.
The board simply cannot func-
ton effectively, in the light of
this situation.
THE ANSWER behind all this
L is new legislation. Messers.
Roose welt and Hillman, no
doubt, had some in mind when
they took their stand. The glow
ering mood of the House would
require some. in any event. Dis
satisfaction with the treasonous
sabotage of defense work by
strikes is sweeping through the
administration southern dele
cations.
The White House is apt to try
to guide this legislative wrath
away from straight-out anti
strike legislation. All admins
tration labor authorities
personally take the ground that
a man cannot be prevented from
quitting his job, although draf-
tees are prohibited from retiring.
In a small defense plant in
England recently, for instance,
the workers did not strike. Each
worker merely decided TO go
fishing the same day, and fish
ing they went.
John LEWIS is not the only
- regal ghost lurking behind
the shadows of many friends at
the Go convention in Detroit.
Also armed is Uncle Johns adj
versary, Mr.. Hillman. In fact,
Hillman slipped out to Detroit
several days in advance to or
ganize the anti-Lewis forces.
First convention blood was
spilled meagerly at a bar three
nights before the meeting
opened. A Lewis man is re-
ported to have defeated two
Hilman men.
The captive coal.mine dispute
was advertised as a personal po-
litical fight between Lewis and
Roosevelt. and it was all of that,
but Lewis was aiming his hard
est blows past Mr.. Roosevelt's
ear at Hillman. Lewis henchN
men are inclined to blame. alp
their troubles on Hillman.
LTRST result OF the altered
Il mediation board status is
that the quiet old United States
Cancellation service is likely to
get more and more prominence
as government mediator.
District so of Lewis United
Mine Workers has withdrawn
its case from the board and
given il TO the Cancellation serv--
ice. That service has no powers,
except persuasion, which works
best anyway in ordinary in
stances. a.
Distributed nv King Features synd., Inc.
Reproduction In whole or In part
strictly prohibited.
ONE YEAR AGO TODAY