Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1945-01-06
BEHIND
News
BY Paul
MaIIon

THE thinking Mr.. Byrnes, as
l. sistant president. came out
straight for honest equal treat
ment of "the Averys and Petril-
los alike" in the public interest.
Advocacy of equal justice for
unions as well as arrangements
started an immediate contro-
versy within the administration.
At once War Labor Board
Davis (who let the Petrillos get
away with defiance of his board
but got the troops in upon
AverieS) said such a law would
tie enforcement up in the. courts
and hinder his purpose of adj
juSting labor disputes.
At the time Petrillo was de-
flying WLB, and maintaining his
victorious strike against its or
der. Mr. Roosevelt elaine d
there was no law 10 make
Petrillo obey. Thus the public
must pay a few cents tribute on
every record it buys forever 10
Mr.. Petrillo, for no service
whatever in its interest.
DUT there was law which
ID would have brought him TO
tcrms-thiS very War Labor
Board Act. True enough, Con-
gress did not intend the act
Shout be used to seize labor
unions as Montgomery Ward
has been seized
Yet the a q m i n is tion
stretched the intent of Congress
TO a rather far-fetched inter-
probation to get the army into
Montgomery Ward. Congress
said the seizure power should
not be used except in "a war in
duStry. The retail stores Of
Montgomery Ward would hardly
seem TO be war industries.
The public knows what kind
Of goods it buys from those mail
order and department store
houSeS-g arden implements.
clothes, practically everything
Salable, except war industry
products. Yet Atty. Gen. Biddle
legalized the seizure by ruling
the stores as war industries.
Economic Stabilizer Vinson
established exactly the same
government position on the
Petrillo strike. He publicly de-
nounced the musicians walkout
as impeding the war effort. Mr..
Roosevelt thu could have seized
a radio station by stretching
the law no further than in the
Montgomery Ward case.
II he had. Petrillo and his
unions would have been subject
to penalties, fines and Jail for
not working. Army officers
could have moved in unon
| Petrlllo's Office, demanded his
books. issued orders 10 HIM 10
send his men back 10 work II
could have moved in upon
other striking union In the same
loose way Montgomery Ward is
being directed
WHAT the government needs
w is not a law. but the desire
10 act, which has been absent
so far.
Some outward signs imply
ByrneS was merely allowed 10
speak his personal mind in eX-
pectatlon that the labor board
would block him in Congress or
otherwise. and the matter
showed down 70 a plane Of end
less ControverSy--without ac-
ton
l do not think so The gov
eminent had got itself into such
an unreasonable and dangerous
labor situation. something will
have 10 be done
Take the Monkey Ward case,
as it should be called, because II
has without doubt resembled
from the beginning drama IN
monkey house more than
adult human action.
The real reason the govern
ment went in there this time
was 10 give the workers A raise.
That is the main physical
change diScernible in the initial
action. The management. en-
ployeS, and business were left
twhile conforming substanti-
the same A. before, with the
one main difference-the work.
erS got raise.
Bat the governments excuse
for moving was that a strike
there was impeding the war ef-
fort, or threatening 10. Yet it
did not move against strikers.
1t seized the management. The
workers Cheered when the gov
eminent came in.
THUS the government has got
itself into a position where
il must serve the unions. more
than the public. If Monkey
Ward had cheated the public on
prices, il would be taken TO
court. But if it cheats the
union mot saying it did, the
government seizes il.
Even a labor government like
this one will not long care 10
play second fiddle to union lead
erS, The unions are clearly get
ting out Of its hand and power
beyond its legal reach. with a
wave OF strikes expected by
every one as soon as We Day.
Therefore 1 look for Mr..
Roosevelt, one way or another,
10 seek and get more power. or
at least more Of legal excuse
from Congress. to keep the