Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-09-16
All General Motors
Plants Face Threat
OF Strike by JAW
SchweIIenbuch Said
To Fear Government
Is Unprepored to Act
By JAMES Y. NEWTON.

The Government last night
faced the mounting labor
management crisis with less
machinery to deal with indus
trial disputes than at any time
in the last few years.
Secretary of Labor SchWellen-
bach, closeted all day yesterday
with advisers over the Detroit situ-
alton, had no comment for publi-
cation, but spokesman represent
ed the Secretary as being gravely
concerned that the Government
was not completely organized to
act.
Mr.. Schwellenbach's plans for re-
organizing Federal labor bureaus
and agencies, transferring many of
them to the Labor Department,
have been at the White House for
five weeks without action. His de-
partment, admittedly greatly in
need of strengthening, is no strong
er now than when he took office
July l.
WLB Now a Shell"
The War Labor Board, which
handled thousands of major dis
putes with success during the war,
now is described as a shelf of its
former organization. In the proc
ess of liquidation" the board has
taken no new cases since August
IA and apparently is committed by
majority of its members not to
take any.
During recent days of uncertainty
among Washington officials as to
who would carry the BALI for
Uncle Sam in labor disputes-WLB
or the Labor Departments Concilia-
ton Service-WLB has lost many
key men from its highly trained
field force over the Nation. One Of
fetal said this was a ready-made
organization of skilled negotiators
and arbitrator. but the Concilia-
ton Service has made no move to
take it over.
The Labor Department itself has
added few to its undermined staff
of conciliators in recent weeks, all
though many officials here have
expressed fear the end of the war
would be accompanied by industrial
strife.
Seizure Still Possible.
| officials expressed doubt that
plant seizure by the Government. the
weapon employed most successfully
in war to enforce industrial peace,
would be used now unless the strike
situation became much worse. The
President still has the legal right,
under the Smith Connally Act, to
seize property to maintain produc-
ton vital to reconversion but was
represented as extremely reluctant
to invoke it under peacetime condi-
tions.
Both President Truman and Sec
rotary SchweHenbach are looking
to the forthcoming labor manage
ment conference to work out agree
ments and recommend permanent
methods of settling industrial dis
putes, but the conference is still six
weeks away. 1t will be held here
October % or November S and a
committee now is laying ground
work for the meeting.
Unrest Exaggerated.
WLB Chairman George w. Tay-
lor said yesterday the industrial pic
ture did give cause for concern,
although he thought it's seriousness
had been exaggerated and that it
could not be said that "a wave of
unrest" was sweeping the Nation.
| Mr.. Taylor pointed out that
strikes among comparative few
workers are tying up a large amount
of production because factories lust
finished with war work do not have
stockpiles of materials and COM
ponent parts to tide them over
stormy" periods. AS an example
the Kelsey Hayes Co. strike has
tied up Ford because the big COM
pany has no stockpile of automobile
wheels.
He asked that the situation be
viewed "soberly" and added that "if
we settle a few small strikes, the
big operations will start up"
WPB officials. meanwhile, expressed
concern lest the current disputes
indicate that more widespread
troubles are coming. but they said
(See NEWTON, Page A-4.)
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