Evening star., 1941-12-03

w shin 6 ton, David Lawrence.
possibly because they are the men
who know the practical side of pro-
duction. The so-called liberals do
not seem 10 be interested in eff
cheney if it interfereS with their
schemes TO foist Government owner
ship and Government controls on
the private enterprise system.
Businessmen dread to come here.
They want to be of service to their
country but the atmosphere in
Washington repels them. They
would like to trust the President s
leadership but they see him refus-
ing to lift a finger to rid Washing
ton OF the New Deal SchemerS who
keep henChmen in power no matter
what the demands of an efficient
industrial production might require.
See Labor Situation Mishandled.
Almost every one in the business
world knows that the labor situa-
ton has been miSerably handled and
that there is no such thing as equi-
table treatment or fairness in the
labor laws or their Interpretation
and that national defense has been
severely interrupted by strikes which
the administration has consistently
refused TO denounce or eXtinguiSh
A few weeks ago the climax came
when the union leaders so far forgot
the needs of national defense as to
insist on the compulsory union shop
to close out employment to all who
refused to join a union.
The President said publicly that
the Government wouldn't compel
a man TO join union against his
will Then the President selected
as an arbitrator some one who tech
nicauy leaves the Government serv-
Ice for few days in order that he
may be free TO decide that COM
pulsory unionization is all right.
Men high and low in the steel in
dustry are bitter about it. They
entered the arbitration in good
faith, thinking the issue would be
resolved by independent arbitrators
and that neither side would be given
an advantage ahead of time by be-
Ing told the personnel of the arbi-
tration board. While the arbitra-
ton tribunal is supposed to settle
only one issue-that of the captive
mlnes-it may set a precedent for
all industry
Unions to Feel Loss.
Compulsory unionization is not
consistent with the principles of
human freedom. 1t savors more of
the Soviet system of collectivism.
but, if it comes. the wav will be
opened to the inevitable regulation
OF labor unions by Government
Under FaSciSm the labor unions are
regulated by the government. Un-
DER democracy, monopolies always
have been regulated. A monopoly
system Of union control Of jobs and
workers will unquestionably bring
Government regulation. Then the
unions will find themselves less free
than they ever have been or could
be under a democracy.
DiScouragemen about the labor
solution in the business world. fric-
ton between Government agencies
and even intrigue among Govern
ment officials who bite away at one
another in a dozen different Ways
merely emphasize the degree to
which disunity has gone. If there
Is crisis in the Far East and
America is on the verge of war,
there is no sign of it here in the
attitude Of the pressure groups or
OF the eXponentS of class war. In
stead, Washington harbors lobbyists
from the New Deals former en-
tourage who strive for profitable
contracts for clients and union
lobbyists who seek bigger and bigger
privileges from Government and
pay rolls out of which to derive
commissions and union fees for or
eanizers and officers.
Leadership Still Partisan.
The spirit of unselfshness and
sacrifice that should permeate a
national government is woefully ab-
sent. The reason is that the lead
ership is still partisan. Only the
men who have been New Dealers
exercise the power behind the scenes
For, while there are few men who
serve as window-dressing from
among the businessmen, the real
powers are held by New Dealers
and they directly and indirectly per-
NIT pressure groups favorable to
their political cause to have their
way or else they permit sniping at
tacks on business and industry ano
the dollar-a-year men to discourage
those who could be of practical aio
In the crisis.
But there is no crisis except il,
the headlines. Selfishness as usua
and politics as usual and pressure
groups as usual dominate the Wash
ington picture. Maybe real crisis
will come some day and change al
this, but even the Japanese-Amer-