Evening star., 1941-04-02
President Commends
Acts Of New Defense
Mediation Board
But Differences Still
Exist in Labor Pucts
Effected by Agency
By JAMES FREE.

The new National Defense Media
| ton Board, in the words of Presi-
| dent Roosevelt at a press conference
late yesterday, is doing all right.
1t was evident that the President
measured his statement carefully to
| avoid extremes in optimism or pes
simism in surveying the record of
the board so far
There has been too much optimism
in some quarters over the fact that
the board has persuaded parties in
volved in two of the strikes certified
to it last Thursday to resume pro-
duction of badly needed defense
products. This resumption of work
does not mean, as some have con-
cluded, that the disputes have been
settled once and for all.
Differences Still Exist.
There are still points of difference
between striking unions and man
agement at the International Har-
vester and Vanadium Corp. plants,
although the men are on the lob
pending efforts of the mediation
board to promote mutually satisfac-
tory agreements. At least these diff
ferences that caused the strikes in
the first place have not yet been
ironed out, however.
The chances are, Of course, that
agreements can be reached without
further Stoppage of production. But
this should not be taken for granted.
In the third case handled by the
board up to today, at the Condenser
Corp. plant, the strike was still in
effect, with production at a stand
still this morning. 1t was believed
at one stage that the 2,400 men. who
had been working on Signal Corps
supplies, would go back to their jobs
pending settlement of dispute with
management on the question OF
union recognition. But too many
differences arose on even this pre-
liminary question.
Federal ConciiiatOrs Cited.
The fourth case certified to the
board, that of the Universal Cyclops
Co. strike, was adjusted before the
board could begin hearings sched-
uled for last Saturday. Major credit
went to the Labor Department Con-
ciliation Service, which the board
had asked to continue its efforts to
bring the employees and employers
together.
1t is evident from the personnel
of the three-man panels named by
the board chairman to conduct hear
ings on individual cases thus far,
that the board will follow the gen.
eral policy of naming c. I. o. labor
representative on the board to sit
in on C. I. o. dispute and an A. F.
L. board member to sit in on A. F. l..
disputes. And, in cases like Inter-
national Harvester, where both
unions are involved, representatives
of both were named on an appro-
priately enlarged five-man panel,
The problem of selection of alter
mates to serve for members who may
be ill or otherwise unable to attend
meetings has been solved to date
through submission of nominations
to President Roosevelt. 1t has been
reported by reliable sources that,
following its next full l1-man mem
bership meeting on April 10, the
board will seek to simplify this pro-
cedure by asking the President to
delegate this power of appointment
of alternates to Board Chairman
Dykstra.
Would Relieve President.
Being in close contact with the
board members, it is pointed out by
those favoring this plan, Mr.. Dyk-
stra could receive recommendations
of board members more quickly and
make appointments promptly. thus
relieving the Chief Executive of this
detail work.
In the two appointments of alter
mates up to today-Robert Watt for
Labor Representative George Meany
and Allen Haywood for Labor Rep
resentative Philip Murray-appoint-
mentS were made quickly enough
through the President. But some
members of the board have ex-
pressed the opinion that the Pres
iderft should not be bothered with
this problem, which is likely to arise
at unexpected moments of the day
or night.