Evening star., 1942-01-18

compromised closed shop demand py
recommending an arrangement but one
step short of the closed shop-the
maintenance of membership" device,
which requires that a union member
must remain in good standing with his
union in order to hold his job.
maintenance OF membership" con-
troversy that bedeviled the old board and
may again arise is that which came up
from the c. l. O. union at the Kearny
IN. j. plant of the Federal Shipbuilding
and Dry Dock Co. The company re-
fused to accept the boards recommen-
detion of a membership maintenance
clause, and the Government. holding the
company to blame for the strike which
followed this refusal, took over the
plant for operation by the Navy. When
the Navy lately turned the property
back to its private owners, 1t did so
without any requirement that the COM
pany accept the controverted clause.
The dispute has thus reverted to a status
which appears calculated to put the
new board to an early test.
Has Greater Authority.
Backed by public now at war and
certain to be resentful of non-co-opera-
ton by either management or labor, the
new board is expected to speak with
greater authority than the old. 1t seems
likely, too, that the board will be far
less chary of establishing precedents
TN hA
likelihood is that the board, lacking an
advance set of standards, will create
body of precedent for the sake both Of
uniformity and of expediting its work.
This work is expected to be far heavier
than that of the old board, for not only
have potential cases been created by
the broadening of the defense effort,
but there will be a disposition to give
labor. in return for labor's surrender of
the right to strike, the fullest possible
opportunity to press for the adjustment
of grievances. A tremendously i'm
portant task in industrial craftsmanship
lies ahead of the board.
The board appears to be reasonably
we'll equipped for the job. Heading 1t,
as he headed the defunct board. is Will
liam H. Davis, New York patent lawyer
and former head of the New York State
Mediation Board. Mr. Davis is per-
suasive. articulate and endowed with
the infinite patience required OF the
labor conciliator His associates as
public" representatives are George w.
Taylor, vice chairman. who is professor
of economics at the University Of Penn
sylvania Frank P. Graham. president
Of the University of North Carolina, q
member Of the old board, and Wayne L.
Morse, dean of the law school OF the
University of Oregon
An Experienced Membership.
Dr. Taylor has been impartial chair
man for the hosiery industry since 1881
and for the mems clothing industry in
Philadelphia since 1885, Last year he
was chosen permanent umpire to settle
disputes arising under the contract be-
tween the General Motors Corp. and the
United Automobile Workers. He is
credited with having settled more than
1,400 controversies without a single
major strike.
OF the labor representatives, two are
from the A. F. l.. and two from the
c. I. o. The A. F. L. men, Matthew
Woll, a vice president, and George
Meany, secretary-treasurer, are we'll
known old-timers in the labor move
ment. Mr.. Meany was member of the
previous board. From the c. l. o. come
Thomas Kennedy, secretary-treasurer of
the United Mine Workers, who walked
out of the old board after its anti
union shop recommendation in the cap
tive mines case, and r. J. Thomas,
president of the United Automobile
Workers..
The employer representatives are A.
w. Hawkes., president of the Chamber
of Commerce of the United States, who
in his speeches has vigorously assailed
the closed shop; E. j. Mcmillan of Knox
vile, Tenn, president of Standard
Knitting Mills, Inc, and a regional
vice president of the National Associa-
ton of Manufacturers; Walter C. Teagle
of New York, chairman of the board
of the Standard Oil Co. of New Jer-
sey. and Roger D. Lapham of San
Francisco, chairman Of the board of
the American Hawaiian Steamship Co.
The two last named served on the old
board. Mr.. Lapham has had much
practical experience in collective bar
gaining and believes it should be prac-
ticed on an industry wide scale. Mr..
Teagle is described as good listener
and no doctrinaire. Both he and Mr..
Lapham are said to have impressed their
labor colleagues on the old board with
their fair -mindcdness.