Evening star., 1946-03-18
Inquiry into Economic
War at GIN Urged
Public Entitled to Know All
the Facts, Writer Holds
BY David Laurence

By David Laurence
The Nation has just experienced the
most costly economic battle in all its
history work stoppage that lasted
nearly four months. Hundreds OF mil
lions of dollars in direct losses and
probably billions in indirect losses were
incurred.
Does Congress, which comprises the
elected representatives Of all the people,
feel it can shrug its shoulders and ig-
more what has happened? Would that
be representing the public interest?
Or is there a solemn duty devolving on
some committee of the House or the
Senate to make q complete and thor
ough investigation of the way collective
bargaining works or doesn't work.
Nearly II years ago, the Wagner La
Dor Relations Act was passed with a
glowing promise to the country that
statutory recognition of collective bar
gaining would abolish the most prolific
cause Of strikes. But, instead, collec-
tive bargaining has put into the hands
OF few men greater economic power
than ever before exercised in the whole
history Of the United States.
Can Inf1ict Misery.
whether one regards as too powerful
the hold that the MANAGEMENT of a
single corporation has on q large seq
ment OF the Nations economic system,
or whether one sees in the concerted
control Of 1850 men by small group
OF leaders the exercise of power more
far-reaching than that of the Federal
Government itself, the fact remains that
an economic force capable of inflicting
untold misery on hundreds of thousands
OF persons and capable of inflicting
irreparable loss on the community has
been reared.
No group OF corporations could get
together and damage the public interest
as group of union leaders can today.
Collective bargaining now apparently
means war to the point of economic
exhaustion. Congress thus far has re-
fused to take any steps to protect the
public interest. The President at least
has insisted on fact-fnding tribunal
to be created by statute and to be given
inquisitorial powers.
How much more punishment do the
American people wish to suffer before
they will demand of their representa-
tlVes at least an expose of the truth?
Congress has not failed to investigate
all sorts of abuses where management or
capital Is concerned. All the losses of
bank or utility financing in the era of
1929 speculation, moreover, will seem
dwarfed into insigniflcance If the pres
ent indifference to the losses through
economic wars is continued
Monopoly Over Workers.
Congress has right and duty to in
quire why the General Motors work
stoppage lasted 113 days 1t has right
to find out what political game the union
leaders were playing for selfish purposes
or individual ambition, thus making
helpless pawns of the workers who
could not go back if they wished. The
failure Of the courts to punish mass
picketing and the failure of the Wagner
Law to protect minorities means that
the exclusive bargaining privilege has
introduced form of monopoly control
over millions of workers In theory, COL
lective bargaining by exclusive agent is
right. In practice, is the power being
abused? When monopoly Is granted
must there not be an accounting to the
public of how that responsibility is
being discharged?
Why did the unions demand a 80 per
cent increase when they knew this was
an impossible figure from the start?
Why did the corporation delay in COM
/ ing finally to the 1914 cent raise after
the Presidents fact-fnding board rec
commended 1871 cents? What settlement
/ could have been reached if both sides
could have been assured earlier as to
what constituted really rock bottom
position? What part did the Govern
ment's own confusing price policy play
in causing delay?
Both the management and the union
! leaders ought to welcome a thorough in
! quiry into the facts. 1t is easy to say
"let bygones be bygones," but the pub
! lie is entitled to know all the facts
Maybe the mere disclosure in this case
would be deterrent in other cases.
Reproduction Rights Reserved)