Evening star., 1945-11-07
Public Mandate Seen
On Labor Conference
Demands Sweep in for Formula
on Good Relations, Says Writer

Demands Sweep in for Formula
on Good Relations, Says Writer
By David Laurence
Although every conference where
there are conflicting interests involves
certain amount of jockeying for posi-
ton, the labor-management confer
ence has back of 1t such q feeling OF
urgency from the public as q whole that
individual or group politics must in
eyitably become secondary.
The demand from the Nation that
labor and management prescribe
formula for the conduct Of good labor
relations is sweeping in from all sides.
Seldom has conference had as strong
q public mandate. For the truth is the
American people are about ready TO
listen to drastic proposals from Congress
II the labor-management groups should
fatl to perceive that only by an objective
approach can legislation Of an extreme
sort be avoided.
The labor group has already en-.
deavored to get attention for the wage
problem, which Is motivating most of
the unrest among the workers today.
Some tendency to rule out the wage
question from this conference has
already appeared and 1t is being asserted
that the meeting here is not a national
collective bargaining conference.
Must Prescribe Method.
But, on the other hand, unless the
leaders Of labor and management can
recognize the vitality of the present
wage dispute and prescribe method OF
settling such questions, there will be
difficulty in focusing the attention of the
labor union representatives on the other
parts of the agenda.
The conference has proceeded thus
far with an earnestness and efficiency
that augurs well for the future. It has
created a committee to see that inde-
pendent unions not connected with the
CIO or AFL are given a chance to be
heard. AS to the handling of the wage
question and particularly the 30 per
cent demand, this is something which
offers splendid opportunity for con-
structive craftsmanship by both labor
and management.
Obviously the question is one for COL
lective bargaining, either at the industry
or local level, but when a problem OF
this sort arises, can the services of the
national Government assist a settle
ment? Plainly there is need for fact
finding and an honest appraisal of the
facts by impartial tribunals.
The present conference could easily
decide on the method by which such
an economic commission or series of
fact-finding commissions can be set I'D.
There is, for instance, a dispute in the
auto industry. The CIO marshals cer-
tain facts. The industry denies that
these are the facts. Who Is right? If
there were an impartial investigating
commission which could come up with
the verified facts there would be less
chance for misunderstanding at the
collective bargaining table
Need for Economic Facts.
So 1t would appear that one of the
main adjuncts of the collective bar
gaining process is an effective means
of getting economic facts. Interpreta-
tions may differ when once the facts
are made available, but certainly there
is big need for this foundational ma
terial, so that the country also can do
little interpreting.
T7,n HTN hos h,a,- .~.,.,,z
favorable publicity for the wage in
creases. The AFL has taken the posi-
tion that the wage issue need not be
taken up at this conference. A COM
promise appears possible by endeavor-
Ing to find out what tribunals or COM
missions can assist in settling wage
issues as they arise in collective bar
gaining.
The acknowledgement conference
could easily 60 of on the tangents of
publicity for this or that interest. The
public will be quick to recognize such
maneuvers and tactics. The respon-
sibility imposed on the delegates to the
conference is more than to represent
their respective organizations. Pre-
cisely because these delegates cannot
commit businesses or unions back home
1t Is even more important that the
findings or recommendations be of such
a nature as to command universal sup
port.
The most important thing for the
conference to attain is an atmosphere
Of true conciliation. This can come
only If the delegates realize they are
trustees of the public interest and not
just partisan or prejudiced representa-
tives of group interests.
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