Evening star., 1944-09-20
Dewey Spoke by Book
On Labor, Says Writer
Seattle Speech Called Result
of Many Months of Study
By David Laurence

By David Laurence
Gov Dewey spoke "by the BOOK when
he declared that most of the wartime
strikes were due to the Roosevelt ad.
ministration.
This is but another way of saying
that there has been too much personal
government in dealing with labor and
that Secretary Perkins, although nomi-
nally in charge Of the Labor Depart
ment, has had neither the power nor
the authority nor the influence to handle
one Of the major problems Of the war
labor relations.
Mr.. Dewey's speech at Seattle ap-
parently was the result of many months
Of study and consultation with some
Of the best labor experts in the country.
The indictment he makes against the
Roosevelt administration is not at all
unfamiliar to persons who have studied
the labor problem.
Thus, William Leiserson, who was
chairman Of the Railroad Mediation
Board and also at one time q member
Of the National Labor Relations Board,
made In recent address a comprehen-
sive analysis OF the entire problem Of
the Governments relation to labor and
came to virtually the same conclusion
which Mr.. Dewey now adopts.
Football Made of Law.
1t will be recalled that Mr.. Leiserson
resigned from the Government in de-
spair when he found that Mr.. Roosevelt
made a football OF the historic railroad
mediation law. 1t will be recalled also
that the United States faced a Nation
wide railroad strike last December
largely because Mr.. Roosevelt and his
aides bungled the situation. The truth
about this near-catastrophe has been
constantly soft-pedaled, but it is a
chapter In labor history that is we'll
known to the railroad brotherhoods, for
example, and to the railroad heads
themselves.
There already had been established
useful and successful method of ham
ding disputes on the railroads, but Mr..
Roosevelt by-passed that machinery and
attempted to handle the matter per-
sonally, with the result that the awards
finally made were much larger than
would have been the case II the regular
machinery had been used. This now is
conceded by both railroad executives
and by railroad union labor officials.
When Mr.. Dewey said that labor has
been made the football Of politics he
was telling the absolute truth. The
real reason why Sidney Hillman and
the CIo Political Action Committee are
working so aggressively for the re-
election Of Mr.. Roosevelt is their belief
that such groups will have the inside
track in the White House and the next
administration if Mr.. Roosevelt is con-
tinued in Office for fourth term.
| Inevitably such favoritism leads to re-
actions and repereussions in an entirely
different direction. The moment favor
ties are played in any game resent
ment is felt by those who are not the
benefciaries.
Must Go Even Further.
Mr.. Dewey has gone a long way
toward gaining the confidence of the
labor union groups by calling a spade
a spade and by saying frankly that col
lective bargaining and the National
Labor Relations Act are here to stay.
He must go even further and assure the
labor union leaders that. If elected, he
is not going to be taken in or manipu.
lated by those employers who have been
notoriously hostile to union labor
throughout the years.
Labor union leaders are too keen in
their understanding of political person.
alities to be deceived by few speeches.
/ They must know that Gov. Dewey will
stand four-square in handling the labor
problem and will not lean to one side
or the other.
While it seems probable that Mr..
Dewey will not get the majority Of the
labor union vote, all that it is necessary
for him to do is to divide that vote
sufdciently so that it will not 60 over
whelmingly for the Democrats, as it
has in the last three elections.
| Mr.. Dewey has made an intelligent
approach to the labor problem. His
! Seattle speech was masterpiece of
| factual statement and logical argument.
But he needs to 60 further before the
campaign Is over in order to disclose
to the American people more Of his point
Of view on the handling of the labor
problem which looks as if it will be one
Of the most difficult of all the problems
of reconversion and reconstruction.
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