Evening star., 1943-05-06

aged to sauelch David Lawrence.
any further steps in the legislative
process.
Organized labor-the bulk of
which needs no restrictive legisla-
tion and can be counted on to help
the war effort loyally-can look to
John Lewis as the man responsible
for the present mood of the United
States Senate and for the proba bill
ity that the House will pass the
Connally bill by an overwhelming
vote.
Congress has been hearing from
the country Strikes and interfer-
ences with production have been
mininized by the labor politicians,
but at the same time the power of
these leaders to interrupt produc-
ton has been dramatically exhibited.
There Is no excuse for the fact
that labor disputes are handled only
by seizure OF the employers prop
erty. Too often the labor politicians
have deliberately aneuvere d
things either to force the War Labor
Board to take Jurisdiction or else
to get favora BILE decision by
threat OF strike or an actual strike.
A Preventive Measure.
The new measure would give the
War Labor Board the right by law
which 1t has not had heretofore
10 step into dispute, call witnesses
and hold hearings, compelling by
subpoena any labor leader or en-
ployer to attend the sessions OF the
board. The board has been a crea-
fure of an executive order. Under
the Connally bill, it gets for the
first time certain statutory powers
which will do a great deal toward
preventing disputes from reaching
the point where the only remedy is
for the Government to take over a
property where the dispute occurs.
The Connally bill will be in the
nature Of a preventive measure.
The new proposal also would
punish anybody who induces any
one IN leave work while the Gov
ernment is operating a plant. 1t
would prevent interference with any
one who wants to work. II is
wartime measure only. but if 1t is
effective. there may be a tendency
in peacetime to give to a national
hoard or commission some of the
work Interruptions and prevent the
huge economic losses growing out of
strikes called, to no small extent.
merely to enhance the prestige of a
particular labor leader or his asso-
ciates.
Would Ban Strike Order.
The Connallv bill. moreover bears
directly on the coal controversy.
Mr., Lewis has granted the Govern
rnent a 15-day truce. and the as
sumption is that at the end of that
period he could call out his men and
bring on strike. II the bill has
become law, no orders could go out
from any union headquarters. ma
ttonallv or locally, In the miners
erra nization which tells ANYBODY to
refrain from work.
The individual would have the
hight to walk out and STAY out. but
the moment he does 20 as result
of instructions from any two or
more persons, the whole thing be-
comes a conspiracy to interfere with
war production and the instigators
Of the interruption could. il con-
victed, be punished by Jail or fine
Or both.
II the Connallv bill becomes law
In the next few days, the so-called
truce could hardly result in any
thing but an agreement under terms
laid down by the War Labor Board
Mr.. Lewis would lose the leverage
he has today.
Unions May Halt Passage.
It will be interesting to see what
the House does with the bill The
union politicians will strive hard to
delay passage They will try, for
one thing. to bottle up the measure
In committee or else defer action in
the hope that, If the coal contro-
versy Is settled amicahly. there will
he less public pressure for passage
Whenever the bill comes out of a
committee, on the other hand there
Is an ample majority in the House
to pass il and very likely the Presi-
dent would sign the measure Other
wise, he would take full RESPONSE
hility for encouraging work Interrupt
tions by threats of strikes. 1t is
believed the President is ready to
go along with the trend Of public
opinion on this issue.
The heads of the AFL and the
CIO will, of course, oppose the meas
ure In the House-as they did in
the senate-as unnecessary. 1t will
he interesting to see what the
strength Of the labor lobby is going
to be on a simple bill to give the
Government power to operate war
plants without interference or CO.
ercion of any kind applied against
those who wish to work.
Reproduction Rights Rrservedl