Evening star., 1944-05-04
In Defense Of People
Congress Has Acted Wisely
In Montgomery Ward Case
By Dapid Laurence

By Dapid Laurence
When administration leaders sought
to broaden the resolutions iriquiring into
the Montgomery Ward case 10 rs to
cover an investigation Of the labor rela-
tions Of that company, they played into
the hands Of their opponents.
For many years elements In Congress
which have sought an opportunity to
investigate all the intimate "details of
labor union affairs, and their methods
in collective-bargaining elections, have
been blocked. Now the administration
hands the full subpoena power to COM
mittees which start of with desire to
prove that union labor politicians and
the administration have o political al
lance whereby, in exchange for the
votes Of the unions, the administration
plays favorites and grants special privi-
leges.
The whole subject has been stewing
for several years, but, with the exception
Of the vigorous investigation conducted
by committee headed by Representa-
tive Howard Smith of Virginia, Demo-
crat. every resolution that has proposed
any inquiry into labor union affairs has
been successfully blocked by the admin
istration.
Wards Labor Relations.
This time the spokesman for the adj
mtnistration, seeing resolution pro-
posed which on its face Is an attempt to
inquire into usurpation of power by the
Chief Executive, thought the best way
to take the sting out Of 1t was to turn
the spotlight Of publicity on Mont
gomery Wards labor relations, which
have bysno means been without blemish.
Senator Byrd, on the Senate side,
promptly accepted the amendment
broadening the scope Of the resolution
Of inquiry and it is to be expected that
the House will do likewise.
Thus two congressional committees
will be investigating not just Mont
gomery Wards relations with its en-
ployes, but the War Labor Boards fIes
and records on the subject Of the "main-
tenance of membership" clause in union
contracts. Likewise, an inquiry will be
made as to pressure exerted on all re-
gional War Labor Boards, as well as
National War Labor Board panels. It
would not be surprising II the congress
sional committees also made compre-
hensive inquiry into the recent coal
strike and the various communications
that passed between the War Labor
Board and the other agencies Of the
Government and the United Mine
Workers.
Naturally, the committees will INQUIRE
into what opinions the Attorney General
rendered when President Roosevelt said
he was helpless to do anything about
the defiance by John Lewis and the
miners union. Also it will be ascer-
tanned, no doubt, why the Department
Of Justice failed to apply the penalties
Of the Smith Connally law when, by
concerted action Of some kind, strikers
stayed away from work even after the
coal properties were seized by the Gov.
ernment.
The Matter Of One Sidedness.
The congressional inquiries open up
the whole subject Of the ADMINISTRATOR
fayoritism in handling unions as con-
trasted with its intransigent attitude
toward employers. The whole episode
win come during the presidential cam,
paign when 1t would have been much,
better for the administration II It could
have avoided the publicity that goes with
any searching inquiry into bungling On
the home front.
Maybe the administration has q card
up its sleeve. It could get the better Of
its opponents in Congress by a simple
method which 1t has used effectively
before. An attempt could be made to
pack" the committees with admins
tration supporters. Vice President WAL
lace appoints the Senate committee, and
Speaker Rayburn the House committee.
This could mean that rubber-stamp SEN
ators or those who will play ball with
the administration in soft-pedaling its
mistakes would be chosen.
Congress has made a very important
gesture. BY demanding an inquiry into
the abolition of civil rights by the Presi-
dent in time of war, 1t has come to the
defense Of the people against the first
dramatic outburst OF totalitarianism
that has been observed in America dur
ing the war. But II Congress sits by
and lets rubber-stamp members pack
the new committees, the Investigations
will be meaningless.
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