Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-07-13
Economic War Seen
AS Labor Strife Rises
Writer Urges Congress Action to
Halt Drift to Violence
By David Laurence

AlhAt DIiit 10 FlDlGnGG
By David Laurence
Labor strife is increasing. Every day
there are indications that when the
mantle OF war necessity Is thrown of
there Will be an economic war OF un-
precedented violence.
Congress Is doing nothing about 1t.
The President Is busy with foreign
policy and war measures. Labor and
management groups have been meeting
from time to time to write charters
and codes but the situation grows no
better.
Basically the trouble Is that both
labor and management have forgotten
the public interest. Neither one Is ap-
parently agreeable to the idea Of o
permanent agency of the Government
TO compel settlement by peaceful means.
Few employers can be found who want
to see the National War Labor Board
continued as permanent agency. Few
labor groups want 1t continued The
reason is that each side wants to be
free to decide questions In its own
selfish way. More strikes, therefore,
are inevitable.
Seek Indirect Raises.
Labor union leaders have educated
their rank and file to the belief that
whenever contract is up for renewal
there must be an increase in wages.
Unable to get beyond the Little Steel
formula because wage increases re-
quire approval by the wage and salary
units of the War Labor Board, the
unions have endeayored to secure in
directly the same thing. They have
introduced new issues involving bene-
fits that really mean increased COM
pensation and have asked for employer
contributions to welfare funds which
presumably will be distributed after
the wage and salary limitations have
been removed or which will be used
to finance strikes.
Employers, on the other hand, know
ing that wartime strikes will be han
died by War Labor Board interview
ton, often have allowed matters to
drift which could be settled either by
collective bargaining or by arbitration.
Unfortunately no governmental plans
have been developed yet for postwar
handling of labor disputes. Much ado
is being made about the United Nations
Charter and the need for governmental
cooperation in the public interest to
save lives. Yet inside this country and
other countries the principle of eco
nomic war Is legalized by legislation
which does not in any way limit the
right to strike. At present, no matter
whether the public interest is i'm
paired, any union can order a walkout
on the slightest preteXt. If the reason
is subsequently found by some tribunal
to be wrong or If the public interest
has been damaged, there is no penalty
for having abused the right to strike
The right to quit work is, Of course,
inherent in any democracy, but the
right of an organized leadership to
send men away from their jobs on
any pretext or to prevent others from
working by threatening violence is not
inherent in democracy but is a char
acteristic of anarchy.
Drift to Labor Anarchy.
The United States is drifting into
state of labor anarchy because the
| public interest is not being reflected
| by either labor or management or the
Government. The Railway Mediation
| Act passed about 20 years ago is q
| restraint and limitation on the right
| to strike at any time on the rail-
roads. 1t has worked The Wagner Labor
| Relations Act was passed In 1885 but
although admittedly not a perfect in
strument. every attempt even to i'm
| prove it by amendment has been
fought successfully by a coalition OF
labor-union groups and Legislative
leaders. Not single recommendation
for an amendment to the Wagner Law
to make it two-sided, as is the Railway
Mediation Act, has come from either
major political party as such or from
the administration in power.
Some agency like the National Wal
Labor Board is absolutely prerequisite
to labor peace in America. The boarc
has been divided into u regional tri.
bunals which have on them some fin,
men from labor and management whit
sit as panels to decide disputes. 4
constructive job on the whole has beer
done. Shall all this experience be los
10 the country and when the wa
ends the signal be given for q re
sumption of economic war?
This is the question which Con
gress thus far has evaded. The ap
pointment of new Secretary Of Labor
Judge Schwellenbach. has encouraged
hopes that he viii have a constructiv,
program to lay before Congress ans
the country which will consolidate o.
retain the gains that have been mad,
during the war in adjusting labor.
I management difficulties.
fpsnroduetion r;shts rss.rv.s,