Evening star., 1943-06-24

in the armed
services, the David Lawrence.
commander in chief brushes aside
the stab in the back which has been
given to the Nations fuel produc-
tion and intimates that there will
be no legislation to prohibit strikes
when the Government seizes prop
erty.
The Presidents statement, re-
1terating the familiar excuse that
''only a very small fraction of
per cent of production" has been
affected by strikes aside from the
coal miners strike, merely means
that the labor politicians have again
succeeded in influencing the Presi-
dents policies to the exclusion OF
the general public or its interests.
Will the President tell the men
in the foX-holes that strikes can
occur now and there is no penalty
of law for it? Does he think that
the man in uniform will regard
what they are doing as in the cate
CORY of a sentence to hard labor
against the enemy or as a service
which they voluntarily perform be-
cause they love their country?
Poorly Advised.
The Presidents announcement
that if there are further Interrupt
tions, workers should be inducted
into military service does not sound
American but very much like the
forced labor pronouncements of for
eign rulers. American citizens do
not like to read that if they do not
work they will be inducted into
military service-as if good soldiers
are made on that basis or as if the
military tradition is fostered by be-
ing classified as a penalty for strik-
ing in labor dispute.
The President has been poorly
advised. If the Congress needs to
revise the draft law to get man
power by raising the draft limits
to IS years of age, that could be
understood, because it would apply
equally to all citizens. To ask Con-
press, however. to make military
service apply above the present As
year limit only to those who go out
on strike is to put it in class OF
punishment with fines and Jail SEN
tences which are specified for vio-
lation Of Federal laws.
Congress not only will never pass
such a dishonorable statute, reflect
ing as it does on the flag and the |
military service, but it is doubtful II
the Administration will really ever
press for its passage. The idea
doubtless is just one of the curious
solutions offered the President by |
his left wing" advisers who have
apparently persuaded him to veto
the so-called anti-strike bill. Or |
perhaps it is a method of testing |
public sentiment between now and |
Friday midnight, when the President |
must decide finally whether to let |
the Smith -Connally bill become law |
or veto it.
What Will He Say?
It It's a veto, what will the Presi-
dent say to Senator Connally, chair
man OF the Senate Foreign Rela-
tions Committee, who sponsored the !
measure? What will he say to Rep !
resentative Mccormack, Democratic |
leader of the House, who supported !
the bill? What will he say to those
members of Congress who were as
sured when they voted that the
President would sign the measure?
But, above all, what will Mr..
Roosevelt say to the men in the
fox-holes and on the ships of war?
Will he tell them that he sur
rendered again to John Il Lewis and |
the Miners Union, thae-the War
Labor Board failed to achieve re-
spect for or obedience to its orders |
and that the great Government OF |
the United States has been given
rIlOGllCl 1OUI o1ei1lApVIAii Ny
Mr.. Lewis and his union?
Public May Decide.
II the veto comes-and it appears |
on the way-the country will ask |
Congress to pass the bill over the
veto. Every vote will be recorded,
and the Nation can at least know |
whether members of Congress are |
going to support the desires of the
men in the armed forces or the
opinions of the left-wingers and |
labor politicians, who thus far have
made mess of the home front.
In the next "a or 48 hours, can
public opinion manifest itself so as
to prevent the consummation of the
blunder which is forecast by the
Presidents amazing statement just |
issued? 1t is unfortunate that the
men in the armed services can't |
tell their commander in chief what |
they think. But their fathers and |
mothers and sisters and brothers
can still speak.