The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-05-17
Army Navy Blast Strike
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is equally vital to the Navy"
 Tt is affecting two of our planes one of which Is a fighter, the spear head of the attack in the Pacific and the other an improved torpedo bomber" Pace said.
 WLB Chairman William IT. Davis opened the hearing by telling of- ficials of the union that their con- duct of the strike Heads straight to disaster.
 Success or Failure
 Arnold said that in many air op- erations the success or failure of the mission often Is determined by the number of long-ranke fighters ac- companying the bombers to protect them against enemy attacks.
 "The strike definitely tells me I can't furnish fighter protection when and where I need It." Arnold said. Must I then cut down on the number of bombers I send Into Ger
 If the strike continues 1t may enable the German air force to gain respite and perhaps recover at a time when 1t is reeling under our blows" pAbIM
 Arnold refused to answer any question which the foremen officials attempted to ask him, replying: T am @ busy man."
 The board had asked the War and Navy Departments to send spokes- man to the hearing to explain the effect of the strike on war produc- ton. It was believed to have been the first time that official spokes- men for the services had appeared as witnesses at VILE hearing.
 Davis said that "in wartime, the whole force of societly arranges It. self against men who are on strike"
 ITO my mind," he added, tits just too bad. What gets me down IS that, despite this, you folks still continue to strike"
 Robert IT. Keys, president of the Association, said that $500 foremen are on strike land 2,000 more are anxious to join them"
 Blames Government
 We do not relish this strike and do not feel 1t is right from patri- otic standpoint" Keys said. But We cannot blame anyone but the gov- ernment. It has failed to act for many, many months"
 He referred to the refusal of the War Labor Board or the National Labor Relations Board to recognize the association as bargaining agency for supervisory employees. The NLRB last week ruled that the Association was guaranteed protec- ton against anti.labor practices under the Wagner Act, but 1t re- fused to order an employer to bar gain collectively with it.
 Keys and the 10 members of the association's executive committee, all here in response to the WLBs summons, went into caucus after the hour -long hearing to decide whether they could agree to Davis request that they call of the strike now.
 Davis said that you understand that the board must operate under the statute"-the Smith, -Connally War Labor Disputes Act authorizing invocation of sanctions against any union which advocates non-work among its members in a war plant seized by the government.
 If seizure of the plants is made your men have nothing to gain," Davis said. "The foremen must then operate under their former labor conditions. It seems plain that in your refusal to stop this strike and place 1t in our hands, you have nothing to gain"
 He told the FAA officials that "the union, fighting for what you regard as fundamental right, handicap yourself by putting the United States government on the other side.'
 You can't win," he added. That work will be done.'