Evening star., 1941-03-16

News articles tell daily of strikes, just
begun cr continued, in plants making
defense materials for the United States
Government; of threatened strikes of
agitation in Congress for strike-curbing
laws.
Articles from administration sources
carry the frequent assurance that de-
spite the strike headlines the situation
is not nearly so bad as the casual
observer may have peen led to believe.
The accuracy of the reporting is not
as a rule-questioned, nor is criticism
brought against the editorial judgment
which gives prominence to strike news
at time when the Nation is faced with
the desperate need of haste in complet-
ing the armament program. The point
made BY those who would ward off re-
strictive legislation against labor is that
the current playing up of strike news,
much of which in normal times would
get but scant public attention, is tending
to give q distorted picture of the indus
trial scene
The situation is good or bad, from
the standpoint of the public interest,
according to the angle from which it is
viewed. Quantitatively, it is good; COM
parative year-by-year figures on strikes
amply justify the statements of Sidney
Hillman and others that a remarkable
record Of industrial peace has been set
during the current emergency.
The Future Holds Uncertainty.
What is to come is another question.
With the bituminous coal and the Big
Steel labor contracts expiring the end
of this month, the immediate future
holds tie possibility of widespread and
bitter strlfe. April. indeed, promises to
be a crucial month in labor relations
But up to now the period of the emer-
gency ha0 been one of relative harmony
in the relations of management and
labor. The President vividly summed
up the condition when he said at a
recent press conference, on the basis of
figures from the Department of Labor,
that the time lost in defense industries
as the result of strikes in 1910 amounted
to only one-fourth of l per cent of the
total defense effort.
This is the picture stressed by Mr..
Hillman in his opposition to proposed
legislative measures that would interfere
with the free play of the flexible con-
clliation system now in use.
But the average man. impressed
though he may be with the figures show
ing fewer strikes than during the other
World War, is inclined to view the strike
situation in absolute rather than rela-
tive terms. He sees even one strike in
essential defense industry as one too
many. This reaction has found express
sion in Congress in various restrictive
bills. Those that would outlaw the
right to strike may be dismissed from
consideration; they are too far out of
tune with administration and congress
sional sentiment. Opinion appears to
have grown, however in favor of the
proposal to require cooling of" period
before strike may be called, and if
strikes continue even at the present rate
in defense industries. public resentment
may compel some kind of action.
President Forestalls Action.
Meantime, the President, taking ac-
count of public opinion, has announced
that he is considering the establishment
of an overall mediation board similar
to the Taft-Walsh War Labor Board
which functioned with marked success
during the last war. The A. F. of L.
leadership has approved the creation OF
board of this character; Philip Murray
head of the C. l. O., has made known
his opposition. Undoubtedly, an effort
will be made to find formula salts
factory to both branches of organized
labor.
Mr.. Roosevelt's announcement-whic
now appears almost certain to eventuate
in presidential order-was clearly made
with view to forestalling restrictive ac-
tion by Congress. If he sets up the
contemplated machinery and it works
with reasonable success, the President
will have taken the play away from
Congress.