Evening star., 1943-05-01
The Connolly Bill

iHS SOIlIiuIiy Dill
With general strike under way
IN the coal fleldS-a strike that is
fully capable of destroying this
country's capacity to fight the war
the Senate is planning to take up
the Connally bill when it meets on
Monday. If this measure is to be
the Senate's answer to John L.
Lewis, it is important to consider
what it does and what it leaves
undone.
Through some curious misuse of
language the Connally measure has
come to be known as the mo strike"
bill. Actually, the bill does not pro-
hibit strikes and provides no penalty
whatsoever for those who participate
in strikes.
Three things would be accom-
plished by passage of the bill. Cd
The President would be expressly
authorized to take over and operate
plants or mines in which labor dis
putes threatened to interfere with
the conduct of the war. ca While
under Government operation, the
union status in the plant or mine
whether open or closed shop-would
be frozen. 60 A three-man wage
board would be created with author
ity, subject to approval Of the Presi-
dent, to order payment of such wages
as it deems fair and reasonable. It's
findings and orders shall be final,
and shall not be subject to review
by any person, tribunal, or govern
mental agency"
This bill was drafted before the
present War Labor Board had been
set up; before the little steel formula
had been heard of. In 1941, in SINH
lar form, it passed the Senate by
vote of 81 to 7, but the House re-
fused to concur. A year ago Senator
Connally was pressing for renewed
consideration of the measure, but at
the personal request of the Presi-
dent, who was then negotiating the
no-strike agreement, Mr.. Connally
agreed to withdraw his demand for
consideration of the bill. Since then
a great deal has happened.
The no-strike agreement has been
preached by Mr.. Lewis. The little
steel formula and the War Labor
Board are under heavy fire, not alone
from Mr.. Lewis but from virtually all
other units of organized labor as
we'll. The President, quite properly,
is insisting that the WLB and its
wage formula both must be main
tanned. But what will happen if the
Connally bill becomes law? Can
the little steel formula be main
tanned, or the WLB continue to func-
ton, if new wage board comes into
the picture, empowered to author
ize wage increases which it deems
fair and reasonable in plants which
have been seized by the Govern
ment? Obviously not. Approval of
a wage increase by the President is
required, but is it wise to put the
President in the position of possibly
having to veto wage increases which
a board created by Congress says
are fair and reasonable? Certainly
not, if there is any intent to continue
the fight against imitation.
Mr.. Lewis might look with favor
on this bill since its passage would
accomplish at least two Of his prin-
cipal objectives-the destruction of
the WLB and the elimination of the
little steel formula. But this is not
what the people of the United
States will expect OF Congress, If at
long last it should undertake to deal
with the strike question.
Mr.. Connally told the Senate on
Friday that the people are looking
to Congress to give the President the
necessary power and authority to
make their will" known. And what
they want is legislation that will
discourage and penalize strikes
against the Government in time of
war. Shortly before Pearl Harbor
the House, by a two-to-one vote,
passed strong anti-strike bill which
was allowed to die in the Senate
Labor Committee. If the Senate
agrees with Mr. Connally that the
time has come to demonstrate that
the Government, and not Mr.. Lewis,
is running this country, it can easily
revive s-ad pass clear-cut legislation
to forbid and punish strikes. If this
were to be done, there is no doubt
that the House would concur and
the people approve.