Evening star., 1945-09-28
Public Pressure Urged
ToHuIt Strike Waste
Writer Calls for Machinery to
Sift Causes of Stoppases

Writer Calls for Machinery to
Sift Causes of Stoppases
By David Laurence
The Nation is being siven some
dramatic examples Of the effects of
economic anarchy In various parts of
the country.
The right of workers to strike and
the right OF employers to refuse to
grant workers wage demand are ap-
parently inviolate. The Government,
whether 1t be Federal or State or city,
stands by and allows millions of dollars
OF production to be wasted, millions OF
dollars Of demand to 60 unsatisfed.
and millions of dollars of purchasing
power in the form Of unpaid wages to
be destroyed.
The public stands by, too. patiently
awaiting the economic forces to right
themselves and exercising little pressure
on Government to speak in behalf Of
the public interest and furnish some
constructive machinery for settlement.
No distinction apparently Is made be-
tween work stoppages on certain serv-
ices. involving public safety and health
and those which merely delay produce
ton in nonessential commodities or
services.
Both Sides to Blame.
Prejudices are expressed against the
workers on the ground that they are
causing inconvenience to the commu-
nifty, but little by little the public is
beginning to understand that, while
some strikes are the result Of arbitrary
action by union leaders, other strikes
are the direct consequence OF arbitrary
acts or selfishness on the part OF en-
ployers.
Yet the public has no way of knowing
who is right or what is right. Despite
all the professions OF virtue about our
democratic system and despite the pride
the American people take in their
willingness to accept the judgment OF
courts in private lawsuits. no machinery
representing the public interest exists
to proclaim who is right or what IL
right in labor management dispute
The answer does not lie in a prohibi-
LlUll Oi lAiC llSIlI w eLIlhG llOE III COIDs
pulsory arbitration nor in simply limit
ing the right to strike. 1t lies frst in
the creation Of Federal, State and even
city tribunals consisting Of fair-minded
citizens who are willing to examine the
facts and who shall have the power of
subpoena so that no facts-not even the
employers own figures and accounts
shall hn i'm frNp, inuaefSna
Once fact-finding body Is estab-
lished that can tell whether a wage de-
mand means an irreparable hardship or
a reasonable reduction of total profits
or whether it means a necessary in.
crease in price to the consumer, the
facts obtained and conclusions reached
can be made public. A time limit on
the length Of such inquiries can be i'm
posed and both sides can be required
to withhold strike or lockout action
until the judgment is rendered.
Financial Penalty Urged.
A penalty for an authorized strike or
walkout or lockout In the interim can
be imposed. A financial penalty, per.
mitting damages to be recovered for
losses sustained. would be the most
| powerful deterrent to any individuals
who fout the orders of the fact t-hndins
body.
| IT, after the Judgment was proclaimed.
either party refused to accept it, the
right to strike or to reject workers de-
mands should be recognized. But it il
doubtful whether any union or group
OF employers would venture to stand
before the public and stubbornly refuse
to agree when facts that could be relied
upon to be facts had been published.
Public opinion would force a settlement
in those extreme cases.
What the Nation lacks is the obvious
the machinery for finding out the
merits OF labor management controver-
sizes. More than a quarter OF century
ago Congress discovered this to be the
answer in the transportation field and
such machinery does exist now and il
known as the National Mediation Board,
established under the Railway Labor
Act. But it applies only to railroads
and common carriers. 1t can be applied
within States and within cities by local
authorities and throughout the country
by Congress through adoption OF .
simple amendment to include all forms
OF interstate business.
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