Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-14
Labor Program Called
No. ] Postwar Need
Solution of Problem Delayed BY
Campaign, Says Observer
BY Dapid Laurence

NdHpdlSn, DAYS observer
BY Dauid Laurence
A new pattern for handling the labor
problem Is really the most important
thing on the fourth-term desk.
Strictly speaking, the problem has
been under consideration by the Presi-
dents advisers long before the political
campaign started and. il anything, the
campaign delayed the solution because
no matter which way the subject was
treated 1t was bound to become q foot
ball Of politics.
With the campaign out Of the way,
serious effort is being made to develop
a new labor policy. This does not mean
that any new design for solving the
disputes is being evolved, but merely
that the extent Of the Governments in
tervention in the labor problem Is being
re-examined.
Labor leaders have been almost a.
free in their criticism of governmental
Intervention as have employers Both
sides, however, have recognized that Q
certain amount Of 1t Is inevitable during
war. Now, with everybody looking
toward the transition period, some
new means must be found to keep labor
and management from entering into an
era of perpetual war.
The resignation of Chairman William
H. Davis from the War Labor Board, the
resignation of John r. Steelman as d.
rector of Cancellation, and the talk of
resignation by Secretary Perkins of the
Labor Department are all in recognition
of the fact that the President is working
on new plan and that he should have
free hand in putting it into operation
unencumbered by present agencies or
their executives.
Wage Regulation.
The National War Labor Board. of
course, must continue indefinitely, be-
cause wage sterilization is an integral
part of the anti-inf1ation policy and it
seems probable that until six months to
a year after the Japanese war is con-
cluded wage rates will have to be regu-
lated by the War Labor Board.
1t is, however, in the realm of COM
| dIlOli, WIllCIl Is one Oh LfS
things the War Labor Board has done
under the stress of wartime, that change
must be expected. 1t has been suggested,
for instance, that new board might be
created with public members alone, but
this view does not find much favor either
inside or outside Government. There
Is no doubt but that the presence OF
| labor and mana Oonoent noyohore ~, ~.
War Labor Board has contributed 4
great deal toward the settlement of dis
putes and that the Regional War Labor
Boards have done an excellent job in
keeping strikes from spreading.
What labor and management both
want, of course, is direct contact with
each other without governmental inter-
vention. They want to return to coll
lective bargaining and direct negotia-
ton. But in view of the fact that labor
relations is still field in which expert
ence in responsible union operation or
in responsible management negotiation
is far from uniform in the various in
dustries, the Government Is not likely
to risk the turning back of the whole
problem to industry and management
while the war is on.
The logical first step will be the re-
organization of the functions of the
Labor Department and probably the ap-
pointment of some one like John r.
Steelman as Labor Secretary. Incl
dentally, he is trusted by all factions Of
labor and also by management and Is
one of the few persons with experience
in labor relations whose appointment
as Secretary of Labor would be hailed
on all sides as satisfactory.
Mediation Board.
There is to be sure. place for A
National Board of Mediation entirely
apart from the functions carried on by
the National Labor Relations Board.
The latter agency concerns itself with
the administration of the Wagner Act
and with the thousand and one prob
lens of collective bargaining procedures.
But there is no agency in peacetime
which is especially concerned with the
mediation or arbitration processes
Voluntary arbitration has been widely
used and remarkable record has been
made by the Government Cancellation
service headed by Mr.. Steelman.
What seems to be most needed is q
group of experienced mediators who
know how to argue with both sides in
the interest of peace rather than war
on the labor front What is also needed
is the development of more and more
economic data for use In determining
wage rates in relation to the cost of
living. With so many millions of per-
sons, both union and nonunion ree,,.
lated nowadays by the wage stabilize
ton rules and orders of the Govern
ment, it will not be easy to relax sud.
denly all these controls or to maintain
any kind Of stability during the transi.
ton period unless the Government
participates to some extent in the
process.
The question of how much or how
little governmental intervention IN the
labor problem is necessary has been
given good deal Of study by manage
ment men as we'll as by labor leaders in
their own conferences, sometimes sep
arately and sometimes together, and all
recognize it or the number one problem
OF the Nation when peace comes in the
war abroad.
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