The Coolidge examiner., 1941-04-04
VOLUME TWELVE

ATlZOnlanS VINO DelleYe the feQ-
eral government should take dras-
tic steps to curb labor strikes
which interfere with armament,
airplane and other national de-
fense projects will be interested
in the following excerpts from a
recent letter written to a Phoenix
resident by United States Senator
Carl Hayden.
A copy of the letter was sent by
Senator Hayden this week to j. j.
Jones of Coolidge.
From Senator Hayden's letter:
There has been serious in
reference with national defense
work in other parts of tn coun-
try. and an effort toward arriving
at a satisfactory and reasonable
solution to the problems present
ed by hasty and ill-considered
strikes has been made by the Pres
Defense Mediation Board, which
is modelled on the board which OPP
Grated so effectively during the
World War A solution is also be
ing sought by the House Com
mittee on the Judiciary, which has
before it numerous proposals for
the regulation of labor relations
in defense industries and on de-
fense construction work.
In connection with the bill to
appropriate $7.00O,OO0,OO0 to ef-
fectuate the lend-lease act, Mr..
William S. Knudson, the Director
General of the Office of Produc-
ton Management, recently testi-
fled before the Senate Commit
tee on Appropriations, and out of
his wide experience in dealing
with labor problems of all kinds
he told us that he strenuously dis
approves of restrictive anti-strike
legislation, both because such leg
islation is of dubious constitution
ality and because in his expert
ence it will not work. Mr.. Knud-
sens analysis breaks down strikes
into three catagories: l Juris-
dictional strikes between two un-
ions There Is no doubt that
such a strike is both troublesome
and unnecessary. because there is
more work to be done in America
today than there are skilled men
TO do it; 2 Strikes to secure un-
ion recognition at particular
plants or pparticular industries.
Such a strike is difficult to medi-
ate because it is hard to find
middle ground; 3 Strikes arising
from grievances over wages,
hours. or working conditions. l
must agree with Mr.. Knudsen that
this type of strike generally can
be settled without difficulty by
fair-minded men.
1.-The remedy for the difficulties
which have arisen and are likely
further to arise. as suggested by
Mr.. Knudsen, embraced legislation
which would provide: 1 For Civ
ing of notice of intention to
strike: 2 For allowing reason
able time before an actual strike
for the men concerned to vote by
secret ballot on the question OF
whether a strike should be called;
A further reasonable period,
if a strike was voted, in which
Federal labor mediators would
have an opportunity to attempt to
adjust the differences.
''In your letter you suggest that
since legislation has been enacted
to draft man power to serve in the
armed forces, similar means be
found to draft labor for national
defense work, and thus to pre-
vent strikes and other labor dis
turbances. What those who urge
the drafting of labor fail to con.
slider is that there is a vast diff
ference between drafting man in
the Army and being fully and
completely responsible for his
care, and drafting man to work
for a private citizen. Mr.. Bernard
NJ. Baruch, who was Chairman of
the War Industries Board during
the World War, in his testimony
before the War Policies Commits
sion in 1851 clearly stated this
difference:
THAT labor should be in
ordinately rewarded is un-
necessary, wrong and easily
avoidab BILE but not by draft
ing men to work for other
men, A soldier serves the
nation directly There is but
one master in the case and
that master is America. There
is no distinction between him
and his comrades. He is
clothed, fed, housed and at
tended. AS long as our pres
ent industrial organization
maintains, industry is in the
hands of millions of private
employers. 1t is operated for
profit to them. The employ
ee, therefore, serves in pri-