Evening star., 1941-07-11

on the strike #1 Z
from. Some OBJ
servers h e David Lawrence
mistakenly attributed this 10 the
fact that Russia being in the war
now on the side of Britain has some
how commanded her Communist
agents in the United States to re-
frain from sUbverSive activity. That
may be true so far as the Com
muniSts are concerned bur it doesn't
take into account the work of the
numerous Nazi agents who are
using the provisions of the Wagner
labor law to bring about industrial
disputes. 1t would be to the ad-
vantage Of such agents to refrain
from stirring up any serious labor
trouble at the present moment until
after the Congress has laid on the
shelf the pending amendments.
Then a recrudescence ot strikes may
confidently be expected.
It will be recalled that Congress
on several occasions in the last year
has marched up the hill and
courageously endeavored to pass
some legislation restricting the right |
Of labor chieftains to stop Arnerl-
cas- defense program at Will. When |
legislation was about to be passed, |
strikes would be diminished and !
public statements would be made
bv Secretary Perkins or Sidney |
Hillman pointing out that there
were really no important strikes
going on and that the strike wave
was definitely receding. Then when
the legislation was laid aside the
strikers would start up again.
Nav Have Sent Word.
At the moment it would not be
surprising if the chiefs OF labor |
strategy had sent out word through
out the country to avoid fny serious
strikes in the defense program so as
to lend weight to the powerful lobby |
now operating in Washington TO
kill the amendments to the selectlVe |
service law which would permit the
President to use the military forces
to protect the right to work.
The latest information is that |
labor has modified. enough votes
to kill even in the Senate amend
ments proposed by Representative
MAY of Kentucky. The prlnclpal
argument being used is that strikes
are receding and that the use OF
troops will not again be necessary.
Congress has been lulled into in
action by these tactics before and
this time the same thing is happen
ing-members are being threatened
with labor reprisals at the polls.
Even the Administration is timid
and it is significant that admins
tration leaders in Congress are SOFT
pedaling all restrictive proposals or
else urging postponement. Usually
postponement means the end OF the
legislation.
Not Province Of Government.
Nobody who has the interest OF
national unity at heart really wants
to see force used to break down
strikes any more than he wants 10
see labor use mass picketing and
measures of violence to enforce COL
lective bargaining demands. IL is
not the province of the Federal
Government any way to protect the
right to work. 1t is State obliga-
ton. But the States have sent their
National Guardsmen away and
police forces are hopelessly made
nuate. whereupon labor union lead
ers take advantage of the situation
forcibly to prevent workers from
entering or leaving plants if they
differ from the secretly taken votes
to carry on a strike. The use OF
Federal troops in the North Amerl-
ean Aviation strike was due wholly
20 negligence of the simple rights
of law and order by the county and
State authorities aided and abetted
by Wagner Law rulings that permit
abuses.
If, on the other hand, the country
could be assured that there would be
no major strikes in defense plants
there would be no need for any
legislation. House leaders who favor
the restrictive legislation would be
justified in making public pledge,
namely that if at the end Of 80
days after the proposed legislation
has been laid on the table the
number of strikes or man hours lost
rises from the figures of the current
month of July the bills will be
promptly revived and passage in
sisted upon. 1t Is fair proposition
and one that would test the sincerity
of all factions. 1t would also give
the National Defense Mediation
Board an opportunity to recommend
fair settlements. And certainly 1t
will not be contended that the
board which gives labor just about
ao per cent of what it asks for would