Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-11-01
Marking Time

AHalTS COmmlttee that pubic Opln-
ion and sound public policy both
dictate that we must not stop short
of compulsion of labor and manage
ment when those who will not
cooperate are blocking war produc-
ton" At this stage, however, there
is little reason to believe that we
have made appreciate progress to-
ward working out a formula for
applying this compulsion. On the
contrary, the outlook seems more
confused than ever.
After a conference with the Presi-
dent on Thursday, William Green,
president of the AFL, and Philip
Murray, president of the CLIO, re-
iterated their opposition to com
pulsory action and augmentation"
at this time at least. Mr.. Green said
that 1--WE left the meeting with the
President0 with the understanding
we would explore the situation more
fully and completely to ascertain the
facts" He also indicated that the
President would not go forward with
compulsory manpower program
until the labor group had studied it
further, and Mr.. Murray said that he
was in accord with Mr. Green's views.
At his press conference yesterday,
however, Mr.. Roosevelt seemed to
place somewhat different interpre-
tation on his discussion with the
labor leaders. The whole problem,
he said, is in the study stage, and
reports that he had decided that a
national service act was unneces-
sary at present were untrue. The
country, he said, is all right at this
time SO far as manpower is con-
cerned, but this does not necessarily
mean that the situation will be all
right few months from now if moth
ing is done about it. No one should
imply, he added, that national serv-
ice legislation necessarily would be
delayed until the end OF the year.
What all OF this means is any
mans guess, and 1t is doubtful
whether any clear pattern Of pro-
cedure will emerge in the near future.
But there are two points which ought
to be kept in mind. ''-
One concerns the opposition, I'M
derstood to have come from manage
ment groups as we'll as labor spokes-
men to any form of regimenta-
ton or freezing of labor. Some
of the specific objections which labor
leaders have advanced to immediate
compulsory action, such as the OBJ
vious lack of comprehensive plan
ming by the Government to handle
the manpower problem, are well
founded. But at time when all
other elements of the national
economy are being regimented and
frozen, it is going to be difficult to
sustain valid reason for exception
of any special group. And this is
especially true while we continue
| to work an average less than forty
three hours week and insist upon
the maintenance of practices de-
signed to spread work and make"
work in times of unemployment.
The other point has to do with the
warning implicit in an address
Thursday night by Grenville Clark,
chief author of the first Selective
Service Act.
Mr.. Clark expressed the convic-
ton that we must have national
service legislation to win the war,
and that I'VE need it now, not at
some later time after experimenting
with half measures" 1t is pertinent
to recall that the same arguments
now being raised against compulsory
labor legislation were raised against
legislation for compulsory military
service. Time has shown that these
arguments. as applied to the need
for compulsion in organizing an
Army, were entirely specious. Time
also will demonstrate the same thing
with respect to the arguments now
being made against compulsory serv-
ice for production. The only real
question is how many weeks and
months will slip away before we
realize that this is true.