The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1943-02-12
INTERNAL COMBUSTION In
WASHINGTON
By J. E. Jones

Washington, D. c., February s.
The cost of living has increased by
of workers averages more than 1870
increase in their pay, according to
studies of '.manpower" in Wash
ington. The Department of Agricul-
ture predicts that there will be rec
ord crops this year, but there's
trouble about the shortage of farm
labor. The probabilities favor call
ing 100000 men to the colors in
stead of 11,50O,00O, because our
Allies have grown stronger. The
farm labor situation may automatic
ally improve.
In the recent anthracite coal
strike thousands of workers defied
the leaders of their national union
They also defied the War Labor
Board, and refused to go back to
work until they faced the prospect
the President would order the Army
to take over in the coal fields. The
result was merely a truce" in the
strike inasmuch as John l.. Lewis,
president of the United Mine Work
ers, will demand a wage increase of
at least 2O% for the workers when
contracts between the employers and
workers are renewed in the Spring.
The Little Steel formula adopted
by the War Labor Board recognizes
a limit of about % on wage in
creases. Nevertheless, the Labor
Board has met open defiance from
the miners and other groups just as
other Administration, mediation, ar
bitration, and labor boards have
been defied in the past.
The American Federation of Lab
or has appealed to President Roose-
welt to defeat all anti-labor legisla-
ton by Congress, and has also ask
ed the President to stop the Nation
al Labor Relations Board in it's eff
forts to bring under it's control the
troubles between employers and
workers in Western shipyards. APP
parently AFofL defied the Congress
and the War Labor Board. At the
same time the CLIO has delivered a
bitter attack on what is called the
Hobbs labor misunderstanding bill"
that has been reported favorably to
Congress by the House Judiciary
Committee. Philip Murray of CLIO
says the measure is a direct attack
upon legitimate labor. Mr.. Murray
also goes after the Secretary of
Labor with big switch, and accuses
Miss Perkins of hostility toward
organized labor" because she has
opposed premium pay for work on
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
Thus, labor leaders dictators Green,
Murray and Lewis oppose Govern
ment orders for control through
avs of Congress, orders of the
President or War Labor Board.
The President will scarcely be
able to meet the new demands un-
less he changes his position, and
adopts different methods in direct
ing the relations between employers
and workers. The Inconsistency of
the appeals to the President are ap-
parent, in view of the fact that he
has almost invariably backed the
labor leaders in their disputes with
employers. 1t is understood in Wash
ington that Stabilizer Byrnes will
review findings of mediation and
labor boards, with two objects in
view, i.e.: To help the President
and Secretary of Labor, and to pre-
vent the passage of new laws by
Congress.
1t is impossible to catalogue the
plans of all the planners, whose
remedies and prescriptions have
failed. The internal combustion has
raised fog over Washington and a
leading newspaper of the Capital
assails 1.-The grosser. errors that
waste millions of man-hours and
imperil the prospects of victory"
The employers seem to be very pa
tent in obeying Government con-
troll and in their contacts with lab
or-leader-autocrats who issue the
orders from three Big organizations
in Washington
.