Evening star., 1942-09-06
Labor in WPB

body who is trying to win the war.
Labor in WPB
The meeting between Donald Nell
son and delegation Of labor leaders
to discuss labor's demand for greater
representation in the War Produc-
ton Board apparently has been pro-
ductive OF a compromise settlement.
AS an immediate consequence Mr..
Nelson and the principal labor repre-
entative-President Green Of the
AFL and President Murray Of the
CIo-have expressed themselves as
being entirely satisfied" with the
arrangement. It remains to be seen,
however, whether the compromise, in
the longer view, gives ground for real
satisfaction on the part OF any Of
them.
Mr.. Murray was quoted as telling
reporters Wednesday that labor
wanted man appointed to the WPB
who would be equal in rank with Mr..
Nelson. Later, after the meeting
with Mr.. Nelson, he said that he had
been misunderstood-th what he
had in mind was the appointment Of
labor men as executive assistants"
to Mr.. Nelson. However that may be,
the unquestioned fact is that the CIO
group, through published resolu-
tion, placed themselves in the posi-
ton Of demanding concessions from
Mr.. Nelson. The natural result is
that the compromise agreement has
been interpreted, according to ones
point OF view, as victory or a defeat
for labor. This, obviously, is. unde-
sirable and will not work for har-
mony, but it cannot be helped now.
OF greater Importance will be the
manner in which labor handles the
new responsibilities which Mr.. Nelson
seems disposed to grant. The first
step will be to create committee of
five, including two labor representa-
tives, to head up the 1900 labor
management groups now struggling
with production problems. Mr.. Nell
son also agreed to consider" the
appointment of two WPB vice chair
men from organized labor and to i'm
prove the machinery for maintaining
contacts between labor leaders and
WPB officials.
It seems clear enough that this
arrangement represents a distinct
gain for labor. Whether 1t Is also to
be gain for the war effort, however.
depends upon the caliber of men
chosen to fill the labor positions and
the manner in which they perform
their duties. # they 60 into the WPB
for the single purpose OF improving
war production their services should
be helpful. But if they attempt to
use their positions as levers to secure
greater power for organized labor
the results will be anything but help
full. Time alone can tell what the
fact will be.
1t might be pointed out that labor
spokesmen, in demanding these con-
cessions as matter of right, are on
dubious ground. Some of them seem
to take the position that the primary
duty of labor is to mobilize all the
forces of the Nation behind the war
effort. That Is position which over
looks the fact that labor's primary
duty is to keep its own house in order
to see to it that organized labor
itself makes full and not a partial
contribution to the war. The latest
figures from the WPB show that
strikes In war industries caused a
loss Of 1,13o,678 man days Of work
during the first seven months of this
year. These figures do not take into
account the indirect production
losses attributable to these strikes,
but they are adequate to show that
the leaders OF labor have not done
any too we'll in keeping their no.
strike pledge. Certainly, before de-
manding an authoritative voice in
the overall production effort, they
might well be called upon to make a
better showing in that phase of the
program for which they are imme-
diately responsible.
But Mr. Nelson is content to pass
these matters over. He takes the po-
sition, probably a wise one, that labor
leaders can make helpful contribu-
ton from within WPB. And he as
sumes that they are interested only
in being helpful. For the good of all
1t Is to be hoped that he will not be
disappointed.
Those who are starving under ia
pans new order would willingly trade
1 ~ for ~ ardar ~ y ~ ay,d ao0c