Evening star., 1943-11-13
|AFL Threatens
|ToteaveWLB
lin New Riff
Green Calls Statement
Of,Three Members
Disservice to Labor
BY the Associated Press.

The War Labor Board, already
in a bitter and long-standing
dispute with John L. Lewis
United Mine Workers, was in
volved in a new quarrel today
with the head of the American
Federation of Labor.
William Green, AFL president,
protested against a statement by
three WLB members that the Gov
eminent may require more powers
to enforce compliance by unions
with orders of Federal agencies.
WLB Chairman William H. Davis,
Vice Chairman George P. Taylor
and DR.. Frank P Graham, public
member, raised the question Of
whether the Government needs ad-
ditional authority. Their opinion
concerned the current coal case.
Defiance of Board Emphasized.
Mr.. Lewis, they said, has re-
peatedly defied the board, and the
UNIV may stir new trouble if the
agreement between Mr.. Lewis and
Secretary of Interior Ickes. Govern
ment boss of the mines, has to be
altered to conform with actual find
lngs concerning underground travel
by miners, one Of the principal
points in dispute in the coal-wags
fight.
Mr.. Green said such assertions as
the three public members make it
increasingly difficult for labor to
participate in the work of the Ma
tlonal War Labor Board"
He wrote Mr.. Davis that such
statements were "unjustifiable," and
added:
You and your associates have
rendered a great disservice to labor
and to the public through publica-
ton of said expressed opinions" Mr.,
Green interpreted their statement
as an Indictment of all labor. de-
clarlng 1t states through implication
at least that it labor) has failed in
the discharge of its duty"
Says AFL Kept Pledges.
Asserting that was not true, he
declared the AFL had kept its
piedges and co-operated fully with
the WLB.
In the light Of this statement.
he inquired of Mr.. Davis. how can
you and your associate public mem
oers OF the National War Labor
Board expect labor to continue to
participate in the work of your board
with feeling of trust and confidence
in its integrity, its fairness and it's
oollgation to give labor a square
deal?"
ROBERT j. Watt, AFL member Of
the WLB, also took issue with the
DaVls-Taylor-Grahan statement He
oeclared in statement that or
ganlzed labor has demonstrated its
capacity to take the bitter with the
sweet, y and proposed that emplover
members amend their recommends
tlons TO provide legislation which
also would require responsibility
among those in industry"
The three members. after reading
Mr.. Green's letter said in a state.
ment that their question as to gov
ernmental authority over unions re-
1erred to future issues and had no
bearing on past or current contro-
versies.
Other Unions Record Praised.
organized labor. except for the
United Mine Workers, has had an
excellent record in its patriotic CO.
operation with management for all
out production and in its acceptance
OF wage controls" they said, adding
that Mr.. Lewis defiance of the WI,B
should not be followed by other
unions.
Asked whether he favored further
labor legislation, Wayne l.. Morse.
the fourth public member of the
WLB, commented. Il am not in
favor of any additional legislation
imposing further sanctions on labor.
out 1 am strongly of the opinion
that the Government should en-
force the sanctions already avail
able"
Its failure to do so in the coal
case when defied by the United Mine
Workers of America, plus the ma
Jorlty's acceptance of an assumption
OF As minutes travel time. were nv
chief reasons for dissenting. This
assumption does great damage to
the property interests of mine own
ers whose employees travel time is
much in excess of 45 minutes.
Il think that any suggestion at
this time that further sanctions
should be passed is most unfair to
those labor leaders and their unions
who in good faith have lived up to
the no-strike pledge"
Mr.. Morse was the dissenting
member when the WLB approved
the 1ckes-Lewis agreement, IL to /,
American Heavy Bombers
III