Detroit evening times., 1945-12-07
BEHIND
The NEWS
BY Paul
MaIIon

4. ~ nv
WASHINGTON. Dec. 6 -
W President Trumans labor
cooling program was largely the
inner handiwork Of John r.
Steelman. the New York con-
ciliator who was quietly brought
into a White House office some
weeks back, and of Labor Sec
retary Schwellenbach.
Mr.. Steelman has had a career
OF some twenty years or more
aS a labor concillator in and out
of the government. He has
maintained an impeccahle, iu-
dIcial attitude, although some
employers occasionally have re-
garded him as leaning a little
more on labors side than on
theirs. Schwellenbach always
has been a strong left-of-center
union polltco and Judge.
Despite these objective or
labor-leaning origins of the pro-
poSaI. the Go Auto Workers
and indeed even ALL President
Green, Immediately protested
and Indicated they would resist.
In advance, Mr.. Truman felt
so sure that they would accept
that he acted without legal au-
thorlty TO set up finding
commissions for the auto strike
and for the threatened steel
strike.
7 THINK the basis OF the union
Il objections is not primarily 10
the plan itself II the unions
have Just case. they can get
Justice from the program. A
final decision by one representa-
tive OF labor, one of manage
ment and the third deciding man
from the public, represents the
best possible hearing labor could
expect to get for its cause.
Even then the decision is not
binding II merely represents
public judgment as to what IS
right and iuSt. and carries only
the weight and power of its
manifest fairness.
But the unions have built up
a great pressure game now-be--
hind the auto workers case.
That strike was the front run
ming test case for the 30 per
cent wage increase demand,
backed by all labor including
Mr. Green and his AFL, al
though they have not said much
about this phase.
WHITE heat fervor has been
w worked up among the strik-
erS and other union men eagerly
watching the result Of the con-
test
Nerves become frayed AL
down the line. DenunciatlOn and
reCrlmination Of the manage
mentS. and vice versa. naturally
characterize the negotiations
rather than any cool considera-
tion Of the facts (See Thomas
Reuther's telegram 10 the PreSl-
dent1 The whole situation runs
to emotionaliSm and propaganda
on both sides.
Now the Truman plan 10 elm
mate all that and require both
sides to submit their facts TO
impartial judgment should have
come out of the labor-manage-
ment conference. The President
and his advisers had planned 1t
that way
Mr.. Steelman, for example.
was careful not to see or COM
municate with any one con-
nected with either labor or
management throughout the
conference.
AS a result. the solution he
wanted was not forthcoming.
and he had 10 go to Congress
10 get il. He will get it there
because il represents just about
the mildeSt thing Congress
wants TO do about strikes.
TIIE great impetus which has
made the railway labor
mediation base program so sue
ceSsful tonly one minor strike
in 19 years. was because both
labor and management wanted
II and got together and wrote
II themselves.
Resistance by the unions now
10 application of these sound
settlement principles for the
large strike cases in which the
public has national interest,
may tend 10 impede the effec-
tive workings of the plan.
Those who have looked into
the facts of the auto workers
case say the fact-fnding COM
mission can be expe d 10
recommend E wage increase be-
tween ID and 20 per cent which
should be eminently satisfactory
10 the union.
They have some facts Of
which I am not fully aware,
indicating prices and living
costs would Justify that much
of a boost. Such a decision
would practically fix national
policy and could eeheeivably
solve the whole situation.
If the auto workers go against
tl,is goIuttpp tho ubOla IIpipu