Evening star., 1945-11-05
Text Of Trunnon Talk at Labor Business PorIey
Soys Way Must Be Found to Settle Disputes Without
HoIng Production; Asks Bon Juisdictiono Strikes

HultlHY TIOuuClll
Tert OF President Truman's
address to the Labor M Mannge-
nent Conference:
Members of the Labor Manage
ment Conference:
In a radio broadcast to the Amer
ican people last Tuesday night,
said:
IT am convinced that II labor anc
management will approach each
other, with the realization that they
have common goal, and with the
determination to compose their diff
ferences in their own long range
interest, it will not be long before
we have put industrial strife behind
us. Labor Is the best customer
management has; and management
is the source of labor's livelihood
Both are wholly dependent on each
other; and the country in turn Is
dependent on both of them"
This conference has been called
to provide Nation wide opportun-
ity to fulfill that objective. Repre-
sentatives OF labor and management
are meeting here at this conference
table, to discuss their comman prob
lens, and to settle differences In the
public interest. Here is the demo-
cratic process in action-in its best
form.
On this conference have beer
based many high hopes of the
American people. Their eyes are
turned here in the expectation that
you will furnish broad and per-
manent foundation for industrial
peace and progress.
Not Government Conference.
I want to make it clear that this
is your conferences management
labor CONFERENCE.-THE not Gov
ernment conference. You have not
been chosen by me or by any Gov
ernment, official. You have been
selected by the leading labor and in
dustrial organizations In the United
States. There has been no interfer-
ence by Government in that selec-
ton.
BY the very nature of the task
before you, you appear here not as
representatives merely of the Or
ganizations which chose you; but as
public spirited citizens, who during
the deliberations will consider the
interests of all groups of our peo-
pie. Each OF you Is now mem
ber of the team which the American
people hope will recommend def
mite policy in the field of industrial
relations. We must begin with the
firm realization that every citizen in
our Nation has an identity of inter-
est and great stake in the mainte-
nance of industrial peace and in the
development of mature and effective
ways of achieving 1t.
The time has come for labor and
management to handle their own
affairs in the traditional, Amer
lean, democratic way. I hope that
I can give up the Presidents war
time powers as soon as possible,
SO that management and labor can
again have the full and undivided
responsibility for providing the pro-
duction that we must have to safe
guard our domestic economy and
our leadership in international
affairs.
Your Government, although it is
acting as your host, has no hand
in the direction or the recommends
tions Of this conference. 1t has no
vote.
This is your opportunity to prove
that you can come to understand
ing and agreement without political
or governmental pressure. The out
come of this conference rests with
the representatives of management
and labor. But-as in all other
public affairs-the outcome also
rests with the American public who
by their interest and concern, can
be a constant reminder that arbi.
trary self1shness and a refusal tc
see the other fellows point of view
have no place in these meetings.
Confidence in Ability.
Our country is worried about our
industrial relations. 1t has a right
to be. That worry Is reflected in the
Halls of the Congress in the form OF
all kinds Of proposed legislation
You have it in your power to stop
that worry. I have supreme conf
dence in your ability to find a demo-
cratic way to compose industrial
difficulties.
Under the patriotic pressure of a
desperate war crisis, management
and labor have performed a miracle
of production for four years-work.
ing together voluntarily but under a
measure of Government control
Those controls must soon disappear
Many have already gone. And yei
as soon as the first ones were taken
off, industrial strife appeared. Some
of 1t was expected by the American
people in this period of adjustment
But I am sure that they never ex-
pected anything like the amount o,