Evening star., 1943-06-04

owners. JOln l.. OSVio AAWIehee'
Lewis will have gotten almost all
the major points he asked for. Yet
the mine managers we're prevented
from bargaining on the 81 wage in
crease because the War Labor Board
had established a formula beyond
which the mine owners could not co.
In any negotiation between man.
agement and unions, it is a well
known fact that no final agreement
is made until all the points have
been taken up. BY intervening in
the midst OF the negotiations, the
Government has this time put into
effect all the concessions granted by
the War Labor Board in its inquiry
into the situation. Thus these is
sues are formally disposed of, and
the operators have nothing left with
which to bargain.
Indeed, 1t is stipulated by Presi-
dent Roosevelt that when the miners
go back to work. they will get even
more because the unsettled points
will be taken up and decided by the
War Labor Board.
Miners Know Their Champion.
Thus by exposing to view the
weaknesses of national labor policy
and taking advantage of the conflicts
Of jurisdiction among Government
agencies, Mr.. Lewis has won for his
miners more than he has lost by
pursuing the course he has. Abuse
may come in his direction from those
who look at the problem superfically
and allow their emotions to obscure
the facts. But the workers know who
has been their champion. The ad-
ministration has done much to raise
Lewis prestige among the rank and
file Of the workers.
1t is. of course, true that the AFL
and C1O leaders do not share that
view, They think Lewis has lost
ground but they know also that
when a labor leader wins something
substantial for a labor union, he
gains rather than loses.
The average observer who doesn't
follow the manipulations and ma
neuvers of labor politics blames
Lewis, OF course, and anybody who
points out that the Presidents own
vacillating policy has given Lewis
his chance is merely called a critic
OF the administration. Unfortu-
nately, that sort Of reasoning and
unwillingness to look the facts in
the face is what is really causing
most of our difficulties on the home
front.
Public Discovers Weakness.
Truth cannot be brushed aside by
denunciation and cries of treason.
The public sooner or later must dis
cover that We are not operating to-
day under a government OF laws but
under personalities and that sooner
or later some one like Lewis, who
knows the defects and has the cour-
age of his convictions, challenges
such a set up and a national crisis
results.
The responsibility for the coal
strike-and many others that have
arisen-is primarily that of the ad-
ministration IN refusing to permit
its rubber-stamp Senators and Rep
resentatives to pass law forbidding
interruptions in wartime. The head
lines say the President has again
ordered the miners back to work.
He requested" this before, but to
no avail. The President has no
power to order" the miners back to
work. He has no legislative author
ity to do so. though, If he will but
say the word, he can get all the
law he needs.
1t is an extraordinary method for
the Chief Executive to use-to order |
citizens to work when there is no
manpower statute governing such a
case. Threats and coercion by an
Executive are not the methods of a
democracy. The methods of a de-
mocracy are to pass laws govern
ing the use Of manpower
Pertinent Bill Pends.
1t will be contended that when the |
Government takes over the mines,
the miners then work for the Gov
ernment. This Is a fiction which
the administration has used over
and over again. The Government
has power to seize property. 1t
cannot seize individuals or order
them about except for military serv-
Ice. A bill to permit the Govern
ment to mobilize manpower and
allocate it as it pleases has been
pending in Congress for some time.
Why doesn't the administration
want the law? Because it hesitates
to offend the 80 per cent of workers
who have been faithful to the no.
strike pledge. But these workers
would have more respect for Gov
ernment that insists on law that