The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1945-11-16
WILL DEMOCRACY WIN THIS
hN 7 III
BY j. II. Jones

Washington, ID. c., November 12---
Several weeks ago this column sum-
married. the National Labor Rela-
tions Act and asked the question:
"Why not tyr it?" The purpose of
this so-called Wagner Act passed i'll
1885 was to prevent strikes and lock
outs and to furnish methods to pro-
tect employers and Unions in collec-
tive bargaining.
If employers or the unions failed
or refused to enter into collective
bargaining then Federal laws Id
be enforced in the public interests to
effect settlement of grievances.
Naturally, this correspondent was
pleased to listen to President Tru
mans radio ADDRESS just before the
| Labor Management Conference and
| find that he agreed with me that the
surest way to bring peace TO industry
was through collective bargaining.
| At long last we nave President try
ing to find ways to use Federal laws
that have been sidetracked by ap
pointment of boards, arbitrators and
political dreamers, whose accom-
plishments add up to below zero.
j The new Labor Managem ant Con
| ference was given free hald by the
| Administration to adopt indepenaen
policies, and agree on all plans. Il
have supreme confidence in your
ability to find democratic way to
compose Industrial difficulties" Pres
ident Truman told the Conference.
That was a new approach, a sort OF
experiment, and most of the people
of success.
The following morning every
street car and bus in the National
Capital disappeared from the streets
on account Of an unexpected strike
The town was ''paralyzed" without
transportation. Out across the Nation
in all directions, the workers were
out on strikes.
What are we people going to dc
about it? One of our ablest Washing
ton columnists who used to be criti-
cized for his super-devotion to for
mer President Roosevelt, furnished q
rather complete report this week. He
wrote: Years in which valuable ex-
perience in collective bargaining
might have been accumulated were
devoted, instead, to fights over the
legality of the New Deal laws pro
tecting and encouraging collective
bargaining The rapid growth of UNI
ionism and the whole atmosphere OF
strife favored the rise of the tough
militant type of union leaders. The
wiser men at the top of the unions
lave had chronic trouble in trying tC
hold in line these headstrong young
er men. The New Deal provided q
harter of union rights. Under this
harter, some unions have oversize;
their legitimate targets and others
have preserved old abuses" Perhaps
maybe, there is reason to hope that
our Democracy will win the peace
At least, new ways are being tried
And that's something.
The Elections
|, Tammany Hall wins the New York
} City election. No democracy in thai
contest. The CLIO candidate was de-
feated for Mayor of Detroit. AS that
election is in the key-city of national
industry the victory shows that the
people love their country and Demo
cracy more than they do the union
labor bosses.
Boston struck by tradition, and
elected an Irishman who had been d
good Mayor for three terms, without
much regard to politics. The voters
felt that he would furnish democratic
ule for Beantown.
On the whole the electio n S
throughout the country showed very
little advantage for either of the Old
Parties-just clues to support the be-
ief that lot of people are using
their own BARNS again, instead of
)beying orders of weak union "lead-
,rs" and political cliques.
1t is important to note that tens
Of thousands of men who fought the
wars of America in Europe and the
Pacific are spending considerable
lime in Washington. The city is over
crowded by returning veterans. They
! are almost unanimous in expressing
he opinion that labor strikes are
Outrageous, shameful, and against
the interests of the PEOPLE.