The Wilmington morning star., 1946-02-25
BY ROGER w. BABsON

bAboON PARK, Fla, Feb. a.
having served in Washington as
Assistant Secretary of Labor dur
ing World War l and later as di-
rector-general of Information and
Education, many letters are COM
ing to me asking as to what can
be done to prevent strikes. I am
replying Nothing can prevent
strikes, but Congress can do some
thing to make them less serious. "
Upon referring to certain notes
which l made at the close of World
War I, l find the following con-
illusions. They are 100 per cent
equally true, today, at the close OF
World War II.
Compulsory arbitration, except
in the case of railroads, public
utilities, and other monopollstc
enterprises, is both impractical
and unjust. To talk compulsory
arbitration for competitive indus
try is foolish. It, however, is prac-
teal in the case OF nom competl-
tive and monopolistic enterprises.
Free Enterprise
Honest collective bargaining
should be encouraged in all cases;
but it must be on the basis OF
supply and demand for labor in a
free and ,non-controlled market.
But even this leads to a discussion
of the Justice of Inheritance and
whether we can have truly Tree
enterprise along with the in
heritance of property.
Voluntary Mediation boards
should materially be strengthened
and their use encouraged. These
boards should consist of three
prominent men all Of whom have
the public's respect one selected
by the unions, one by the COM
panies, and one by them jointly.
These men should be given suffl'
Gent funds to secure all neces-
sary information within a reason.
able time and both sides should
agree in advance to accept their
decisions as final. 1t may be pos
sible to have Union-Company
agreements for cooling off, pc
RODS during the limited time that
these Mediation boards are reach
ing decision.
| Same Rules
Both corporations and unions
should equally be subject to the
same antitrust laws and the same
CORPORATION laws which have come
to be recognized as standard prac'
tees. In this connection, botf
labor and management shoulc
have an equal right to press thell
views to one another and to the
public. Both the unions and com
panies should gradually consoll
date their operations so that the
industry as a whole will be nego'
tiating rather than Independent
companies. This is the EngIsf
custom and should be adopted II
the United States.
It is mistake for Presiden
Truman to get mixed up eltnel
with rates of wages. or. prices O.
goods. AS to NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
World War I, we suffered from
initiation but very little was done
to prevent it. We have taken
great step forward in these past u
years in recognizing both the ad
vantages and dangers of imitation
Too much initiation should bf
fought like prairie fire; but some
initiation now must be necessar,
in view of our tremendous wal
debt. Certainly, wages and prices
should be considered by the same
Mediation Boards if prices are
to be fixed for more than short
temporary period.
Officials VS.. Labor
Letters are coming to me asking
if the corporations have as gooe
leadership as the big unions? Many
investors feel that too many cor
poration officials have inherited
their jobs, while most union Lead
ers have fought their way to the
top through sheer ability. These
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