Evening star., 1943-11-08
Government Yields

Inc one valid justification that
can be advanced for the settlement"
OF the wage dispute with the United
Mine Workers is that the Nations
wartime need of coal left the Presi-
dent and his Subordinates with no
alternative but to come to terms with
John l.. Lewis, No one can seriously
doubt that this was the case. But,
when this acknowledgment is made,
1t follows inevitably that Mr.. Lewis
and the miners, using their economic
power and the other weapons con-
ferred on them by "Slanted" laws,
have been able to force the Govern
ment to yield to their demands.
This is a fact which cannot fail to
give rise to grave miSgivingS. When
one man and one union, comprising
negligible minority of all the
people, can successfully dictate to
the country as whole we cannot
hope to escape undesirable con-
sequences, First, there are those of
GIL Gc IldluIe.
In this instance, Secretary Ickes.
acting under instructions from the
President, negotiated contract
with Mr.. Lewis while the miners
were on strike in open defiance of
presidential order that they return
to work. That destroys a fundamen-
tally sound policy of the War Labor
Board-not to treat with any union
While a strike is in progresS-and it
is an open invitation to other ir-
responsible labor leaders to enforce
their demands by resort to strikes.
The rights of the employers-it seems
little ridiculous even to mention
employer rights in this setting-have
been trampled on in the settlement,
which they will have to accept if
they are to get their mines back.
Finally, the higher earnings that the
miners are to receive will neces-
state an increase in the price of
coal. That strikes at the heart of
the stabilization program by nulli-
lying the proposition that increased
earnings will not be approved if they
result in higher consumer costs In
erect, Mr.. Lewis has been pacifed
at a price which is to be passed on
to the consuming public. No amount
OF equivocation can conceal the
truth of this.
These are some, but not all, of the
losses which may be expected to flow
immediately from this settlement.
In the longer view it has even more
disturbing implications.
Mr.. Lewis has demonstrated that
In time of war he can bend the
Government to his will. He can do
this because the Government-the
administration and Congress-has
made him so strong that his strike
could not be broken without paying
rulnouS price in terms of lowered
military efficiency. If Mr.. Lewis can
do this during the war, what is to
be expected when the restraints i'm
posed by military necessity are
lifted? Is government which finds
1t necessary to yield in wartime
going to assert authority in behalf
OF all the people when hostilities
have ended? There is little reason
to believe SO, and it is certain that
this will not be done while we con-
tlnue to operate on the theory that
organized labor is economically
weaker than industry, and that
therefore it needs the protection of
a legislative system heavily weighted
IN its favor. When this war is over
we are going to face the question
whether organized labor, protected
by weighted laws, is going to dictate
to the Government, and through the
Government to the country as a
whole. If the pattern of the coal
settlement is to be followed this will
be the case. But the ultimate
answer rests with all of the people