Evening star., 1943-06-21
Presidents S Decision on
Strike Bill Appraised
Critic Argues Thot Politics
Necessarily Will Affect
Executive Action

Necessarily Will Affect
Executive Action
To the Editor Of The Star:
The Presidents disposition of the
Connally Harness anti-strike bill will
rank second only to the continuance of
the war and the seriousness Of the COM
ing food famine as the pivotal factor in
his success or defeat in 1914. However
he may dispose of the bill, it is certain
that the President will be actuated solely
by political considerations relating to
fourth term campaign. Most observers
feel that these considerations will cause
him to allow the bill to become law
without his signature. They believe
that the so-called soldier vote" already
has replaced the union lobby as the Ma
tion's dominant pressure group; that the
President appreciates the ever-evolving
character of this faction, and that he
will feel 1t essential to bow to its I'M
doubted wishes In the matter, apologiz-
ing, as best he can, to his much-dis-
gruntled unioneer following. We need
not discuss this eventuality further. 1t
is the more probable, and certainly the
more desirable, result.
Others, however, tend to discount the
present political force of the soldier vote
and believe that the President will mani
fest his habitual solicitude for the forces
of organized labor by either vetoing the
bill in.toto or, more judiciously, by veto-
ing 1t on the basis of one particular fea-
ture thereof. The latter strategy con-
templates jealous Congress defeating
itself by what unquestionably would be
failure to procure the vote necessary
to override the veto in futile effort to
keep the conference bill intact At any
rate, this course involves clear COM
initial of the Presidents reelection
chances to the continuing effectiveness
of five political drawing cards: % the
historically minded South, CD the more
grateful-than-ever labor union vote, 90
the sketchy information and short men,
ory of voters in other geographical and
social groups, "a the setting of the flag
in the center of every political picture,
60 the blurring of every important issue
with the Presidents own undeniably dy-
manic personality.
That the President may adopt this
course as the more expedient is an
alarmingly distinct probability. There
Is an old adage that 1T is the wheel that
squeaks the loudest that gets the grease"
The air and press currently are freighted
with the hypocritical cries of the union
eer leaders, the only persons who stand
to suffer any real detriment from the
act. These cries are specious, they are
shockingly ignorative of the issues in
volved, but they are apt to prove sue
cessful. If so, in order to cushion the
shock of this disappointment to the
American people, the President prob
ably will employ his customarily effec-
tive device of delivering an explanatory
message by radio broadcast Whatever
the means used, however, the defense or
apology will include three wholly un-
suppoTtable arguments designed to dis
tort the popular conception of the prob
lens involved. 1t will be well to examine
these arguments now before they become
embellished and coated with protection
against the damaging rays of an objec-
tive analysis by having passed through
the Presidents mouth:
A. The President will attempt to
eclipse every real issue by focusing our
eyes upon the person of John L. Lewis,
as sole provocator and target of the
legislation
B. He will attempt to present the bill
as hastily conceived and lily considered.
He will suggest that Congress was
prompted by anger and kindred emo
tions in creating an inequitable legis-
lative product.
c. He will attempt to minimize the
Importance Of the current strike rate,
relying upon the oft repeated but dan
gerously deceptive and thoroughly fall
lacious device of comparing the number
Of man-hours lost with the number
thereof which actually were worked.
The President would not think of SUBJ
mitting these arguments to what he con-
siders an informed, fact-finding, delib-
erative body. He will rely upon drawing
card No 4 above i. E., the sketchy in
formation and short memory of the
American people. Let us, however, our
selves assume the role of deliberative
body and examine the merits In these
contentious.
Vicious as it is. the coal strike has not
been the only strike, or even the only
major strike in this country since labor
voluntarily took the "no-strike" pledge
after Pearl Harbor In December, l941.
Glance back through the newspapers of
the past few months. 1t would require
many times the space of this article to
even catalogue the plants which have
been involved in various labor stoppages.
The list is shamefully long. 1t is a
national disgrace. When the President
IN fairly recent speech said that I'VE
shall strike, and strike again." all of us
thought he was speaking about Europe.
We are now beginning to have our doubts
as to his reference.
. But the President and his Charley
McCarthys have told you. and the Presi-
dent will tell you again, that the number
OF man-days lost is only fraction of
per cent, of the number of days worked,
and Mr.. Green and other union leaders
never tire of telling that the harmful
effect of work stoppages is negligible
and that they are keeping their promise
with more than SO per cent fidelity.
For real appreciation of the "ac-
Ty1r onyyD Nf% l,;- e{,x1