Evening star., 1941-12-22

during war time. f
So legislation is %sFa
passed author David Lawrence.
izing seizure Of plants at any time
and for almost any reason.
The theory back of these moves
is that a small number may put
their own selfish desires above the
public interest-so steps are needed
to maintain discipline.
But when it comes to labor unions
no law is passed. The labor unions
are exempt from restrictions and
the Roosevelt administration trusts
them to maintain discipline among
themselves. Their profits are not
taxed either.
Now 1t SO happens that 5000 900
persons-constituting the labor I'M
ion membership in America-can-
not discipline themselves and have
no machinery to accomplish it. Yet
the enactment of a law to maintain
order among such huge number of
citizens is withheld
The theory back of this is that
the labor politicians who rule the
labor unions and force men to 60
out on strikes when they do not
wish to do 50 are a specially IA
vored class in Washington and they
must not be treated to the same
sort OF regulatory measures as other
citizens. Where labor unions are
concerned the term used is "volun-
tary cooperation
No such term is applied to the
press or the management or to any
other group of citizens no matter
how patriotic they may be. They
apparently are not to be trusted in
war time to put their own interests
aside in the public interest. Only
labor unions are to be so trusted.
U. S. Called Unprepared.
This is one reason why America
Is unprepared today for war. 1t is a
reason why America, while full of
patriotic citizens who want to do
their duty, cannot meet maximum
demands and do the 'unheard of
things" which the President appeals
to everybody to do in order to win
the war
The fear of stepping on labor's
toes is a political fear. 1t is deeply |
rooted in the New Deal philosophy
of special privilege for the groups to
which it owes political power. The
Nation may have tolerated this be-
fore Pearl Harbor. 1t may be Won
dered now, however, how many more
Pearl Harbors are necessary before
civilian Washington wakes up to
the fact that war demands that all
citizens be treated alike and that no
group of citizens be relied on to
police itself.
To depend on 100000 workers
who are ruled by labor chieftains
and bosses of all kinds-to police
themselves is like asking the traffic
IN our metropolitan centers to regu-
late itself without traffic lights.
There are plenty of stop and 60
signals for management. There are
none for labor. And yet this is sup
posed to be a war in which mechan-
lied weapons must be manufactured
In great quantity-the biggest pro-
duction job in world history.
Uninterrupted production is a !
necessity to everybody ex-
cept the administration that relies
on exhortation and sycophantic ap-
peals to get 1t. If the record of la
Dor unions in the last 18 months
had been one OF maximum co-opera-
tion with the preparedness pro-
gram. the logic behind voluntary
cooperation" at this time might be
defended. But hundreds of thou
sands OF man hours already have
been lost through strikes which have
been tolerated by both the C. 10.
and the A. F.. L. on important de-
Tense production.
Labor Farley Cited.
For several days the union leaders
have been in conference with man
agement. One would SUPPOSE the
issues would have been settled after
the Presidents recent appeal. But
they are not. Labor politicians still
want their pound of flesh-the
closed shop and monopoly. They
must have advantages granted no
natter what happens to the de-
ense program.
AS for management, the profits
aiken up by taxes are almost at the
point. Prices are being
'egulated. Management is expected
% manage efficiently and yet have
I'll its profits taken away and at
he same time submit to any de-
nands for higher wages or work.
ng rules that labor may demand.
Nothing has been done by the
administration to amend either the
Wagner Act or the wage and hour
aw. These social gains" it is
lrgued by the New Dealers who :
un the war machine here must be
preserved at all costs. High mill
airy and naval officers are being
made the goats for Pearl Harbor
While the Nations attention Is being
iverted from the more serious
reak down of a civilian admins
ration-and a Congress, too, for
hat matter-which still thinks of
he war as gigantic w. P. A. and
pork barrel instead OF a