Evening star., 1945-01-10

rather than yield an advantage
they are prepared to nullify, if they
can, the Judgment of the responsible
military and naval authorities, sup
ported by the Commander in Chief
OF what is essential to winning the
war.
Theirs Is a position that ought
to arouse indignation all over the
country. If the President and oul
military leaders are right, national
service legislation will hasten vic
tory and save the lives of uncount-
ed American boys. If they are right
and there Is every reason to think
so-then should the attitude of the
labor leaders prevail, the war will
be heightened and thousands OF
our soldiers and sailors will die
unnecessarily.
In this matter no one will ques-
ton that Mr.. Roosevelt and his
military advisers are in an in
flnitely better position to know the
facts and base Judgment than the
labor leaders. No one will contend
that in this matter they have either
a personal or political concern.
On the contrary, it is entirely
clear that they have come to their
decision about national service
particularly the President - with
great reluctance and that only the
inescapable conviction that it is
the one way to shorten the war
compels them to urge it.
Left in Ugly Light.
Under these circumstances. the
labor leader opposition is an in
defenSible thing and it leaves these
men in an extremely ugly light
indeed
It would >pe different if there
were any other effective opposi-
ton, or any good reasons for op-
posing The truth is that but for
these labor leaders this law, which
the President, the Secretary of War
the Secretary of the Navy, General
Marshall, Admiral King, the Under
secretaries of War and Navy and
nearly every man upon whom rests
military responsibility in this war
assert is essential to its quick con-
clusion-but for these labor lead
ers there would be slight question
of its passagle.
Aside from them the opposition
is Intellectual. There are, of course,
members of Congress who sincerely
doubt the necessity of the law and
are thus willing to put their Judg-
ment against that of the chiefs OF
staff and the Commander in Chief.
And there are plenty who would
rather not vote for so comprehensive
a measure.
But these are not strong enough to
prevent it's passage if 1t were not
for the weight of the labor leaders.
1t is the political power which they
have achieved under this admins
tration that gives them an influence
in Congress which they now seem
ready to WELD against the national
interests in a war crisis.
When the press-agent phrases
, which these labor leaders have used
in opposing national service are dis
regarded, the real reason is clear.
At bottom they are opposed to it
because of the fear that 1t would
take away their right to strike-a
right which they should not have at
all in war but which they have jeal-
ously guarded in this war just the
same.
MIR. Roosevelt has pointed out that
the legislation he asks would not
reduce wages or affect hours or con-
ditions of work. 1t would, however
put an end to slowdowns, Walkouts
and strikes for the rest Of the war
It would insure an adequate supply
of labor under all conditions.
And, apparently, that Is exactly
what these men do not want. For
many months now they have been
unctuously praising themselves for
their "no-strike pledge" which
proved wholly Intellectual to stop
literally thousands of strikes.
Advertised Pledges.
They noisily proclaim labor's
magnificent performance" in war
production, despite the provable fact
that great as the production has
been it would have been very much
greater but for labor's lags and
strikes.
These pledges, pretensions and
loudly advertised patriotism are in
direct conflict with their opposition
to this proposal. They have no right
to place their judgment on so critical
an issue in so serious a moment
against that of the united military
authorities.
Last year Mr.. Roosevelt cooper
ated with the effort of these leaders
to defeat the national service bill by
tying strings to his recommendations
which insured its defeat. He Joined
with the military chiefs in urging
national service, but he insisted that
Congress simultaneously should
enact four other measures which 1t
was perfectly clear Congress would
not do.
So the national service effort of
1874 failed. This time the need is
greater and Mr.. Roosevelt has tied
no strings to his recommendation.
He, backed by the military authori-
ties, unequivocally asks for it. II
would be q fine thing to see him
bump the heads of these labor
leader friends of his together and
tell them to get out of the road.
Ii he does not do so the bill will
1a1I again. As Chairman Nav NJ ~ .
Military Committee, who will intro
ouce 1t in the House, said few davs
ago, 1t will not pass unless the adj.
mlnlstration gives 1t "wholeheartec
support, which certainly 1t did not
give before.
AS Senator Austin said. only cir