Evening star., 1943-08-19

1OtOcQ TIC IIlOHI
nstruc- David Lawrence.
tive piece Of machinery to stop
strikes that has yet been devised for
war conditions.
1t is apparent that Mr.. Roosevelt
was reluctant to use the Smith
Connally law and it is apparent also
that Chairman William H. Davis
and his colleagues OF the War
Labor Board we're about to throw
up the sponge and resign unless
a forceful policy in dealing with
both recalcitrant employers and
unions was sanctioned.
Bolsters Board.
Mr.. Roosevelt, it will be recalled,
told his press conference only few
weeks ago that he saw no way to
make Mr.. Lewis obey WLB order.
The board felt that its usefulness
ended If that view prevailed and
said so to the President afterwards,
for certainly there would be no
fairness in seizing plant and COM
pelling an employer to obey a board
order If unions were immune from
any penalty.
WLB lawyers read and reread
the War Disputes Act tthe Smith
Connally law and discovered a
way to make it apply drastically to
both unions and employers. AS
matter Of fact, the administration
has been so hesitant to consider
penalties for disobedient unions
that ways and means of obtaining
compliance have never been too
enthusiastically explored.
But in the last few months public
opinion has mounted to fever heat
on the subject OF labor stoppages
and the administration has been
persuaded by WLB that it must pur-
sue an independent and consistent
policy toward employe organiza-
tions as well as employers who defy
the boards orders.
Ingenious Machinery.
The device is an ingenious one.
If union or an employer declines
to accept War Labor Board pro-
posal for settlement, pressure can
now be brought to bear on either
the employer or the union because
the law provides power for the Gov
ernment to threaten to seize or to
seize d plant. That power has been
exercised before but the union
always came out scot free. Now,
however, q union under the terms
of the law may face the modifica-
ton OF, existing working conditions
and even an alteration In the pro-
visions Of private contracts that
were in effect before the Govern
ment seized the property.
Once the property is seized, the
Government. as custodian, can do
what 1t wishes with respect to the
terms Of employment. This pro-
cedure is wholly constitutional.
But in the terms Of the contracts
in existence when q plant Is seized,
many benefits and privileges usually
have been granted to union. These,
like the check-on or maintenance
of-membership clauses Or other ad-
vantages, now can be taken away
overnight by Government order and
held over the head Of disobedisnt
union until compliance is obtained.
This policy evens up matters as
between employers and unions and
II fairly enforced means that the
board at last can effectively pre-
vent strikes. There is less posi-
bility today than ever before that
Mr.. Lewis or the Miners Union will
try another coal strike while the
war is In progress.
Draft Threat . Mistake.
The President deserves the ut
most commendation for accepting
the views OF Chairman Davis and
the War Labor Board and for finally
permitting the adoption Of an even
handed policy. There is one para
graph, however, in his executive
order which is not fair. 1t is the
instruction he has given to the
Manpower Commission and the Sc
lective Service Boards that they
may withhold deferment or induct
into the armed services individuals
who disobey War Labor Board
orders.
To use entry into our armed serv-
ices as q penalty is grave mistake.
Congress should provide the proper
penalties for individuals who seek
to obstruct or defy WLB orders, but
the same administration which op-
posed so vehemently any enforce
ment PROVISIONS in the Smith
Connally law and now has been
compelled to apply them by execu-
tive order, will have to back such
changes in order to restrain re-
: calcitrant individuals from inter-
ferring with war production.
On the whole, however, a start
has been made toward construc-
tive labor policy for the Nation in
wartime and the American people
have an independent Congress to
thank for the Smith Connally law
The people should be on the alert
to oppose the already intensive
election campaign that the labor
politicians have organized to defeat
Senators and Representatives who
voted for the same law that our
President now has found to be 80
useful in helping prosecute the war
Reproduction Rights Rsserved)
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