Evening star., 1943-10-25

strike encour-
ages the threat David Lawrence.
of strike and that this is incon-
sistent with the wartime pledge of
the unions that they will not strike.
But now the big railroad brother
hoods, veterans in trade unionism,
and long known as possessing the
ablest leaders in the labor field are
about to take a vote. This ma
chinery is provided by the National
Mediation Act which Congress
passed many years ago and which
applies only to the railroads and
their employees. The existence of
the strike vote machinery never
has been questioned by either side
and the use of it by the railroad
workers in wartime has not been
brought about by the presence of
the voting plan in the law. 1t is
merely the orderly method of de-
termining the wishes of the en-
ployes and presenting them to the
employers.
Ballot -Stuffing Recalled in Order.
To argue that Congress must re-
peal the Smith-Connally law In
order to get rid of the most con-
structive step that has been taken
for many years-namely, to re-
quire strike votes under a specified
method of voting rather than to
allow for ballot-stuffing and other
Irregularities such as were disclosed
In the notorious episode at the AL
disclaimers plant a couple years
ago-is to seek to remove from the
workers themselves the protection
of the strike vote under distinter-
eSted auspices.
Why are these strike votes taken?
For one thing the desires of the
workers are often said to be at
variance with the views of the po-
litical-minded leaders. More often
leaders use the strike vote as a
weapon in negotiations and discus
sions. There is nothing deplorable
about a strike vote-its the final
decision to strike in wartime that
causes dismay.
Strikes in wartime have come in
for considerable condemnation, but
few people seem willing to pry into
the causes of strikes and find out
why men, in the face of patriotic
appeal, feel sufficiently aggrieved to
vote for the calling of strike. For
a time it was believed that the mere
appeal of the President or of some
Government agency was enough to
forestall strike. But the union
leaders know that some subordinate
official of the President either pre-
pares these appeals or makes the
decisions which reject the workers
pleas for economic aid
Workers Dissatisfied.
There can be no doubt that work.
Frs today in many fields have more
to be dissatisfied about than nor
mally. Wage increases have not
been uniform. Pay rises in some
industries have risen beyond others.
And on top of it all the Govern
ment imposes a uniform tax that
falls alike on the workers, irrespec-
tive Of whether they have had any
pay increases to combat the rise in
the cost of living
With one hand the Government
cuts wages by taxes and with the
other it stops the normal adjust
ment of wages upward, especially
at time when the employers seem
quite willing to grant the desired
Increases. The increases themselves
are deductible expenses for tax pur-
poses by the employer, so it is rarely
nowadays that the workers and en-
ployers could not get together on
wage scale.
The Governments reason for
holding down rises in wages and
salaries, however. is to ward off in
fation. This danger is admittedly
great and the pain of future infa-
ton would be far worse than the
pain of being denied a few cents
an hour now in wage increases. The
broad principle is conceded by every
oody, but the application of the anti
imitation policy is something else
again. Rigid adherence to the
Little Steel formula" has been
thus far strong means Of holding
down wage increases, but it has
brought serious inequities Lately
the President has promised to re-
view the whole situation, perhaps
with an idea of promulgating a re-
vision or new formula
The problem will not end with the
hrmiStice. The need for scientific
formula that all workers and en-
ployers will understand is obvious
The greater need, however, is for
uniformity so that equality of sac
rifice can materialize. The admins
tration has tough job on its hands
and until an equitable formula and
3 persuasive way to secure its &C
ceptance, strikes will be threatened
and strikes will occur.