Evening star., 1945-11-04
Hopes for Ponoceo
Are Held GroundIess
But Labor-Manasemcnt Session
Promises Some improvements
Bu James z. NetDton.

By james Y. Ne,Dton.
The labor management conference
opening tomorrow should not be ex-
pected to devise a panacea for our
industrial ills. Those who think 1t will
are doomed to bitter disappointment
even if the parley attains the success
hoped for by its most optimistic Gov
ernment sponsors aS
1t should be regarded as afiCrding a
means to labor and industry M taking
long step toward that day when mutual
understanding of problems win result
in the adjudication of disputes at the
bargaining table rather than through
strikes and violence. Whatever results
the conference attains will be more
effective if the Nation does not expect
too much from it. for widespread dis
appointment, particularly in labor and
industry, can wreck any agreements
their top representatives make. The con-
ference is of the utmost Importance to
every American. But those who say
that the economic fate Of this genera
ton and even the future of the Nation
will be nodded at the meeting are
equally as far from reality as those who
believe strikes and lockouts will end
the day after adjournment.
Even President Truman was quoted
as having told delegates to the confer
ence that its outcome might determine
the leadership of America in world af-
fairs This, too, would seem to be load
ing on more weight than the parley
can carry. Probably the President was
merely giving the team a pep talk be-
fore the big game.
1t is most unlikely that even complete
failure would either shake the founda-
tions OF the country or drop us a notch
among world powers. 1t would make
things easier for us, however, both at
home and in world trade, II means
can be found to lessen industrial strife
to any degree. 1
Senator Vandenberg suggested the
labor management peace meeting after
he returned from the signing of agree
ments reached at the United Nations
Conference in San Francisco, and 1t is
being sponsored by President Truman,
Secretary Of Labor Schwellenbach and
Secretary of Commerce Wallace,
through whom invitations have been
issued to delegates selected by labor and
industry organizations. After the three
top officials have addressed the open
ing session tomorrow the Government
will step out. Labor and management
will be on their own in trying to devise
ways of solving their differences ami
cably. The Government will not vote,
merely observe.
Those who helped plan the conference
say they look to management and labor
to work out agreements on long-term
objectives rather than solutions to i'm
mediate problems such as the recon-
version wage dispute now plaguing
most of industry. They want the con-
ference to work out the areas of opera
ton within our economic world of man.
agement and labor. They want agree
ment by both sides not to step out of
those areas. There seems little doubt
that both have forgotten much of what
they knew about bargaining these last
few war years when the Government
regulated their operations. They want
broad agreements reached that will lead
to the development of understanding
and genuine collective bargaining far
beyond the state attained before the
war.
In that way, the officials hope, meth
DDS recognized by both sides will
be established for settlement, without
economy y-enervating strikes. The plan
ners also hope that the delegates will
agree on machinery-the type of help
the Government can give-to bring
about peaceful settlement of disputes
when the parties are unable to agree
themselves. This would have to be some
form of mediation and possibly volun-
tary arbitration. The Government
hopes that the delegates will agree to
abide by decisions of whatever new
machinery is set up. Top officials do
not want compulsory arbitration and,
If they did, there would be no chance of
getting it approved. The only enforce
ment means that any conference agree
ment can have is the force OF public
opinion.
The Agenda Planning Committee sug-
gested seven topics which are considered
"musts" for mutual understanding If the
conference is to be successful. The
fact that the committee, composed of
industry and labor people, was able to