Evening star., 1945-12-04
The Labor MESSAGE

Wnen all OF the pros and cons OF
the Presidents labor message to
Congress have been measured and
weighed, its greatest significance will
be found to lie in the fact that, at
last, there is clear recognition of
national public interest" in major
industrial disputes which is superior
to the. interests Of either labor or
management. The President does
not say this in so many words. But
to deny that this is so is to contend
that Mr.. Trumans recommended
tions are no better than a collection
Of meaningless words.
The President has asked Congress
to enact legislation, patterned on
the Railway Labor Act, which would
set up machinery that could be in
voked in an effort to settle any in
dustrial dispute certified by the
Secretary of Labor as "vitally affect
ing" the public interest. Within
five days after the certifcation the
President would appoint a fact
finding commission with power of
subpoena. This commission would
investigate the dispute, ascertain the
facts and make appropriate recon-
mendations. Neither party would be
compelled to accept the recommen-
dations, but it is hoped that the
pressure of public opinion would
bring substantial compliance. Dur
ing all of this period and for five
days thereafter-thirty days in all
1t would be unlawful to call a strike
or lockout.
Manifestly, this is not drastic
proposal. 1t does not deal directly
with the inexcusable evil of juris-
dictional strikes. Nor would it be
an effective instrument with which
to curb the so-called wildcat strikes
staged in violation of contract. Nor
is there any assurance that it will
serve its intended purpose in the
case Of the major strikes at which
1t Is directed. 1t is commonly said
that the Railway Labor Act has pre-
vented strikes on the railroads, but
this is debatable contention. It is
true that there have been no major
strikes since that law was passed.
But 1t is also true that on two occa-
sions within the past five years rail-
road wage disputes, despite the law,
had reached the verge OF strikes,
which were headed OF only by
making special concessions to the
rail unions. In effect, these threat
ened strikes were bought off," and
1t Is possible, Of course, to compro-
mise almost any dispute by that
method.
Nevertheless, the Presidents pro-
posal clearly is move in the right
direction. It recognizes that the
national public interest must come
ahead Of any other interest, and,
this being so, it is to be expected
that legislation with more and
sharper teeth will be passed If a law
embodying Mr.. Truman's present
recommendations should prove to be
a failure.
1t should be emphasized, however,
that such law would not fail unless
the unions or industry should persist
in attempting to promote their own
interests at the expense of the
public interest. 1t is to be hoped
that neither labor nor industry will
adopt such a course. But If either
OF them should, the legislation which
the President has requested would
provide means of readily identifying
the offending party, and that, in
turn, would facilitate the drafting
of additional legislation that would
be capable of commanding respect
for the interests of the country as
distinguished from the interests of
some one group. ,