Evening star., 1942-02-14

their jobs on the David Lawrence.
slightest provocation.
This weakness. in the agreement
made by President Roosevelt and
the c. I. o. and A. F. of L. national
leaders was pointed out in December
when the historic conference was
held at which management and
labor agreed to refrain from work
stoppages. This agreement was
characterized by this writer as
paper agreement, and it was pointed
out that, while employers are bound
to accept findings of governmental
labor boards, there is no law or
penalty of law applying to unions
which interrupt the production pro-
gram.
The men who forced a strike in
the Ford plant a few days ago will
not be punished. The Ford COM
pany has granted a closed shop
and has agreed to dismiss any work.
er whom the union wants dismissed.
Yet, because Ford officials, acting
under terms of the contract, refused
to dismiss one troublesome worker
until the union made such a request,
the plants activities were inter-
rupted by walkout involving many
thousands of men.
Within the last 48 hours 10000
workers at a Baltimore shipyard
stopped work. The labor leaders
said it wasn't a strike" But it
was, Of course, an interruption.
Some one has to order those men
out. There must be some concerted
action before large group Of men
leave their benches and drop their
tools.
No Right of Rebellion.
The right to strike was never in
tended to cover the right Of rebel
lion against the Government in
wartime. With most factories en-
gagged in defense work, every inter-
ruption delays or retards the making
of the weapons or supplies needed
for the Army, Navy or Air Force.
If an employer we're to lock out
his plant, it would be seized under
the Communicating statutes. Labor
unions, however, are immune from
the hand of the law. They can in
directly sabotage the program II
they like, and nothing will happen
to them under the present political
regime in Washington, which de-
pends for its continuance in power
on retaining the good favor Of the
labor votes that are controlled by
the union bosses.
Management has been put In q
straitjacket by the administration.
Although this is hardly the time to
eliminate wage differentials between
the North and South, the War Labor
Board has voted to begin to do so
with respect to aluminium workers,
which means 1t soon will be a basis
for friction in other industries. This
Is one way to bring about increased
costs and stimulate the inf1ationary
trend.
Yet If the employer resisted those
demands and refused to accept them,
he would have his plant seized at
once and either the Army or Navy
would be placed in charge to oper-
ate that plant. The labor unions
are under no such compulsion.
Slowdowns introduced.
1t is true that since Pearl Harbor
the number of strikes in defense
plants has diminished almost to the
vanishing point, but this week the
friction has begun again. Employ
ers are complaining about the use
of the showdown" technique
analogous to the "sitdown" strike,
which was introduced into America
by the c. I. o. after it was applied
by the Popular Front radicals in
France, who helped involuntarily to
bring about the collapse Of that
country.
Under the showdown the employer
knows economic power is being used
against him. When the grievances
are settled, the rate of output usu-
ally increases. Every employer Of a
large amount of labor who has had
any experience with the showdown
knows when 1t occurs and keeps
records of how the output jumps
when the controversy is settled. But
slowdowns today are an aid and
comfort to the enemies Of the United
States. Slowdowns today mean de-
lay In forging weapons needed by the
soldiers who will 60 into battle soon
millions of American boys whose
lives must be risked because of lack
Of preparation Of the proper
weapons.
Congress is asleep or else intimi-
dated on the labor question. It
hasn't done its duty. The Senate
is really responsible for what has
happened. The Smith bill passed
the House, but the administration
leaders in the Upper House, doubt
less directed by President Roose-
welt, have done nothing about it.
1t will probably be after more dis
asters have overtaken American
forces, and the citizenry. begins to
ask questions about the inefhciency
OF the Executive, that something
may be expected to happen on the
lack OF discipline among labor
unions.
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