Evening star., 1945-12-10
Lewis Blasts Truman Labor Plan
As. Step to 'Ens|ave' so Million
Working Men in Statutory Irons
GIN Is Dishonest
UAW'BIunderinq,'
Mine Chief Says
By JAMES Y. NEWTON.

John l.. Lewis charged today
that President Truman's plan
for fact-finding commissions to
investigate labor disputes would
place in statutory irons 50,000,-
900 people who work for a living
in this country" and would be
the first step toward creation OF
an absolute state"
Testifying before the House Labor
Committee on bill to enact Presi-
dent Truman's plan to minimize in
dustrial strife through public fact
finding investigation, Mr.. Lewis also
blasted the General Motors Corp.
and the CIO-United Automobile
Workers in connection with the cur
rent automobile strike.
He said the Government could
settle the automobile strike in 10
days if it would allow the manu-
facturers a price which would per-
NIT a fair profit. He termed the
company's position in the dispute
dishonest" and characterized the
JAWS explanation of its strike as
stupid"
Calls Proposal Evil, Vile"
Hhe referred to the Presidents
proposal as an "evil, vile-smelling
mess full of dozens of loop
holes that would make it unwork-
able" and said it was designed only
to "appease and protect a few mil
lionaires who find themselves
frightened by the growing strength
of labor"
Then turning to the General Mo-
tors strike, he declared:
The world knows and Congress
ought to know it would be settled
in 10 days if the Government would
give to General Motors price for
cars where they can make and sell
them for a fair profit.
They are making more money
now not making cars than if they
were producing them full blast, be-
cause of the present tax laws.
JAW Blundered, He Says.
And the poor blundering leaders
of the UAW picked this lime of all
times to shut down General Motors,
when it would make more money
not operating than producing.
The dishonesty on one side by
the company is equal only to the
stupidity on the other side for that
labor organization.
Il hope Congress won't equal that
stupidity by enacting this proposed
legislation for fact-hnding boards.
Will Fight for Liberty.
'T don't think Congress wants to
bring about the turmoil that this
bill would produce.
IF you take away my liberty, l
fight you, l care not who you are.
I say that for myself and I say that
for labor"
Il speak in opposition to this bill
rs a representative of labor and as
a citizen of the United States who
is anxious to preserve its liberties
and freedom of enterprise" Mr..
Lewis told the committee, referring
to the fact-firding legislation.
Under the bill, the President
would appoint fact-finding commits
sions to investigate disputes certi-
fled to him by the Secretary of
Labor as threatening the national
public interest. A cooling off"
period in the bill would prohibit
strikes or lock outs for a 30-day
period while such a commission was
carrying out its investigation.
Would Aid Professors.
Mr.. Lewis described a provision
In the bill for paying commission
members 500 a day as a section
which should be labeled a bill to
relieve the economic destitution
among college professors in Amer
lea"
His comment was in reference to
the fact that a large percentage of
the arbitrators picked to settle dis
putes are college professors. In the
proposal before the committee the
commission would be given 20 days
to make their Investigations of dis
putes.
Mr.. Lewis said the first act of
the college professors after they got
their eyeglasses adjusted" would be
to say they couldn't do lie job in 20
days. Then, he added, the ''profes-
Sors would sit on the case all sum-
mer at 500 a day. Meanwhile, labor
would be prevented from making
any move. This would only delay
settlement of disputes"
Il consider the bill would restrict
the actions of labor, neutralize the