The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-11-11

Hand OF Lewis Seen in
Election Returns
Followers Cracked
Down on AL
Msnpower Is Next
Big Problem
Hershey Proposes
Hsrd-Boiled Plan
By RAY TUCKER


WAsHISGTON-John L. Lewis
rode back into political power on
the wave Of Republican victories
in several states where his coal
miners and District so members
hold the balance of votes. There
are not many happier men in the
country today than President
Roosevelt's shaggy haired and
Shakespesre-quoting tent
The public may not realize it yet.
but the smarter politicos know he
demonstrated his ballot box au-
thority last Tuesday.
As reported in this column Oct.
%, John L. urged his members at
the recent United Mine Workers
convention to support their friends
in office and to pillory their enc
mics. He mentioned no names ex-
cept the presidents, but his lis
teners caught his meaning. They
apparently took his advice. In
Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Ohio and
West Virginia, as state and con-
gressional election results reveal,
they went to the booths en- masse
and slaughtered the followers Of
the White House.
They acted without regard for
national or international issues
born of the war. They registered
their dissatisfaction with the adj
ministration's reputed favoritism
toward the American Federation
of Labor and the Congress of In
dustrisl Organizations. They also
expressed their dislike of the way
the man in the Pennsylvania ave.
mansion has, as they think,
showed their boss around"
Before 1888, most of the leaders
of the organized workingmen were
stalwart Republicans. They turned
to Mr.. Roosevelt for reasons that
are too obvious to require expla-
nation.
Now-asd this may be one Of
the most important factors in the
next few years-the men who toll
at machines may return to ancient
Grand Old Party moorings.
The two most important prob
lens on President Roosevelt's desk
concern American food and man.
power. Now that the elections
are over, Washington probably
will take decisive action on both
matters, despite their being sub
ject of intense controversy.
The War Production board, for
instance, has its own ideas. The
Nelsonians think we should reduce
our dinner table wants to a mini
mum and pull in our belts so we
can meet the rising demands from
our armed forces and allies. Dom
aid favors a plan of scarcity and
is backed by Price Administrator
Henderson. Leon, incidentally, has
been accused of placing too low
ceilings on farm products, thereby
keeping essential edibles such as
pork off the market.
Mr.. Wickard, on the contrary,
realizes that the tiller will not
raise the 10 per cent surplus set
as the 1943 goal unless he is well
paid. The secretary contends that
the agricultural plant can turn out
all the crops required and that
the proposed curtailment is not
necessary provided an incentive
in the form of higher price is
offered to the grower.
Full mobilization of men land
woman) power is an even more
difficult and complicated subject.
Privately the president favors full
recruitment Of both sexes in the
industrial army, but he is being
pulled to and fro by various
groups within his official house
hold.
Paul V. McNutt and his Social
Security aides advocate drastic
controls. With the backing Of
Granville Clark, New York law
yer who wrote the original con-
scription act, they have submit
ted to the White House several
measures making the Hoosier
complete car over people who
toll with their hands. FD.R., at
least before election, shifted at
this proposition. So did manage
ment and labor, which prefer a
voluntary rather than a manda-
tory process for keeping a work.
er at an essential task. William
Green Of the A. F. Of L., Philip
Murray Of the Clio. and Eric
Johnston, president of the United
States Chamber Of Commerce,
have conveyed these ideas TO the
chief magistrate. They do not
want employees made static.
Selective Service Director Lewis
B. Hershey is credited with the
soundest and most logical scheme
and II appeals to the president
The brigadier general asserts that
he can solve the whole problem
through a simple change in draft
regulations. Give him the power,
he suggests, to exempt a man
from military service If he is
essential to industry or sgricul-
ture. Then, il that individual
quits his job. permit General Her
shey to drag him into the war
pronto by the scruff of the neck
It Is probable that Mr.. Roose-
welt will eventually subscribe to