Evening star., 1944-06-16

lives. However much the present
administration has bungled the
problem, it has taken cognizance OF
this historic change.
A 1914 Republican platform
should acknowledge the necessary
requirements for the protection of
labor under conditions existent
, today-not yesterday. Some of them
are: The continuance and i'm
provement of a Federal wage and
hour law and Federal regula tory
machinery for its Interpretation and
enforcement However. it should be
remembered that no law. sponsored
by business or labor is a good law
which creates in the mind of either
the juStitiable belief that fair and
| impartial treatment cannot be
obtained under it
Compulsory social assurances must
be broadened in their base and pro-
gressively expanded. COerCive legiS-
lation such as the Smith-Connally
Act, which is both unWise and un-
enforceable. should be repealed For
| labor'S inherent right to strike.
which it has voluntarily abandoned
during the war, Is the basis of all
its rights and must not be Outlawed
merely because the administration
has created an atmosphere in which
strikes are inevitable.
Unions Need Assurances.
Industry must convince labor that
it is prepared permanently to accept
the basic principles of collective
bargaining and unions must be re-
assured that the period of transition
to peace will not be used as in 1919
20 to destroy the organizations they
have built.
Labor also has aSpira tions which
are not only just but indispensable
to the health of a society marked
by wide economic fluctuations. For
instance, an annual wage to those
who work in plants with long sea-
sonal or periodic shutdowns seems
fair and necessary. And our post
war economy must be built on a
high wage level if we hope to fur
nish a market for the goods of an
expanding peacetime production
Our wheels can keep turning only
If our workers can keep spending.
Labor management cooperation
has proved fruitful during the war
The more it is continued and de-
veloped after the peace the less
necessity there will be for govern
ment intervention in industrial re-
lations. 1t is time for both labor
and management to grow up, to
recognize each other as essential
factors in the same basic enterprise
United States induStry-and to
settle their affairs among them
selves without recourse to govern
ment.
Now that labor is reaching ma
turity all labor leaders must recog-
nize what some leaders are saying
witness the recent statements of Mr..
Thomas and Mr.. Dubinsky-that
labor must become responsible, must
drive from it's midst it's racketeers,
adopt democratic procedures and
account for its funds and activities
both to the public and to its own
membership. And if the reluctant
few refuse to follow democratic pro-
cedures, then under appropriate
legislation such matters must be
regulated.
Cabinet Representative.
Finally, and basic to the whole
question of labor in a democratic
society, in addition to its part in
American industrial life, labor must
be made an essential part of gov
ernment, with real labor repre-
sentative in the cabinet. Like other
economic groups, it must share in
the determination of governments
fiscal, domestic and international
policies. Thus it will share the re-
sponsihility for the results. ,.--...
The coming days of demobilization
will be difficult, particularly difhcult
for labor, Millions of men and
women will have to take up new
forms of work in new localities. Re-