Evening star., 1945-11-08
Labor c conferences Seen
Making Good Progress
Observer Calls on Delegates to
Examine Consciences

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Observer Calls on Delegates to
Examine Consciences
By David Laurence
Despite the so-called fiareups which
are referred to in the headlines as
clashes" or Conflicts" the Labor
Management Conference is getting along
very we'll
Thus all the worry about Phil Mur-
rays proposal to have the conference
consider the wage issue turns out to be
merely polite request that resolution
be examined by the Executive Commit
tee and that some sort OF pronounce-
ment be made saying 1t would be good
thing II the wage issue OF the present
readjustmer1t period were seriously con-
sidered by management.
Certainly that's q far cry from a move
to wreck the conference or to staleufQte
Its operations. Mr.. Murray didn't even
insist on priority for his resolution, but
simply filed it for future consideration,
all in due time.
Take the case of John L. Lewis. 1t is
unfortunate that the little debate which
accompanied his admission to the Ex.
ecutive Committee should have been re-
garded as simply conflict beween la.
Dor groups. These chiefs of labor fac
tions have their controversies with one
another. but at national conference
called to settle the No. problem of the
Nation, personal differences or past con-
troyersies have no real place, and they
know it.
Lewis Ability Needed.
Mr.. Lewis is an able labor leader. He
Is one OF the best-informed and shrewd.
est of Americas labor leaders and has
outguessed and outmaneuvered the past
administration so often that one cannot
help but feel that his talents and abil-
ity should be on the Government side
rather than merely confined to his own
labor union group. 1t was a wise move
when arrangements we're made to put
him at the conference table rather than
outside it. He belongs in any national
gathering on the labor question. for he
has himself tied up the Nations coal
production because OF the absence of A
formula to settle grievances and usually
ne has emerged with the demands he
mad proposed in the first instance, or
more. He has done more than any man
in America to prove to labor that they
cannot get results except by economic
violence-namely, strikes.
But the main difficulty with the an.
proach OF too many observers, includ-
ing many on the nagement side is
tnat they think of the labor problem as
just a problem of personalities at the
top OF the union movement. Too often
the labor leaders single out certain of
tne uitraconservative or hard boiled"
mdustrialists and vent their attacks on
all management as being of the same
mind.
What the labor problem really han.
pens to be is human problem. Labor
relations are human relations. The
most dlfflcult phase Of all is the ab.
sehce OF candor between opposine
groups. Selfishness and greed often
form the basis for unreasonable action.
Emotion and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
provoked by abuses of the collective
bargaining process itself-are too often
substituted for reason. II
Basically there would be no need for
any labor code If the rank and file of
labor and management executives were
governed by the code Of conscience
This is but another way of saving that
II absolute honesty prevailed on each
side, and every proposal were exam
ined with an honest yardstick. there
would be concessions and ultimately
agreement
Daily Meditation Urged.
1t is often argued, however. that men
rationalize their views and persuade
themselves that the positions they take
are really honest convictions. Some.
times these convictions are nothing
more than selfish desires which regard
the profit side or the wage side as hav-
ing no bearing on what the folks an
the opposite side OF the bargaining
table really can do. There is an abb
sence OF candor as to the facts.
Surely what is needed is a statement
pt principles, but even these are value
ess unless conscience is invoked. For
lntil labor leaders and management
pen admit the Divine influence In
peir counsels and really become crit
1al OF their own motives and their own
4mands, they are apt to rationalize
aF written principle into interpreta-
tips that suit their convenience.
Ehe teachings of Jesus give the kew
totaoor relations, because they express
thtcode of human relations, and if the
Lahr-Management Conference would
| pa4e each day for only minute Of
siie4 mediation with conscience it
wout be of immeasurable assistance
IN Wrking out the desired agreement
| Tor Hnich the whole country is na.