The Wilmington morning star., 1946-06-03
Politics And Strikes
By KRNCK

lean political action, particularly those who
have been a. it a long time. will wait a while
before attempting to assay the effects on the
Presidents public career of recent events in
the area Of industrial relations. But, regardless
o. the adverse vote in the Senate on the most
controversial section Of his proposed emer-
gency leg;slation-the forced draft of labor n
certain circunstances-many agree that the
immediate results of those events have been as
follows:
l. The quick collapse Of the railway strike
by which two unions out OF twenty sought to
p%aralyze the nations economy until their de-
nands we're met as to wages and working con-
ditions.
2. The rapid passage through Congress Of
the modified House measure known as the Case
bill, marking the first successful effort at the
Capitol in thirteen years to balance the wholly
p%ro-labor operation OF the Wagner Act.
3. The reassertion by the President of the
governments responsibility Tor the general
welfare when threatened By organized labor.
T. The reassertion by the President of the
governments duty and authority to forbid
strike against it. and the formulation Of a
legal program to discharge this duty and en-
force this authority.
5. The re-establishment of the thesis that no
group monopoly, whether Ct labor or any other
segment of the population. shall be tolerated
under the law.
These are long steps in the direction Of a ma
tional balance-politically legally, socially and
economicslly-which has not existed since, be-
ginning with the Wagner Act and supplemented
by court decisions and administra alive rulings.
dominance OF oraginzed labor over every other
interest in the United States was effected in
the New Deal movement led by President
Roosevelt.
The settlement OF the bituminous coal strike.
in this correspondents opinion, cannot ac-
curately be added to me list Of consequences
OF the events that eliminated with the appear
ance Of President Truman at the Capitol. John
L. Lew won substantial victories, as always.
He authorized the resumption of the strike after
rs truce, despite the fact that it then entered
the category Of a strike against the Govern
nent which the President had announced would
not be tolerated" He calmly pursued his
methods with his customary elaboration while
Congress and the country seethed and the fuel
Of the engine Of recovery stayed in the ground
The President, knowing as well as anyone that
only Mr.. Lewis followers can mine coal. con-
tlnued to receive their leader in the White
House, from which he finally barred the repre-
sentatives OF the striking railroad unions. Prob
ably Mr.. Truman shares the general belief
that, though the Army could assure the opera
ton OF the railroads IN a walkout Of two unions
out OF twenty, it could not force coal out of the
pits.
Whatever the reasons, the fact remains that
Mr.. Lswis played his string out to the end with
results that should be satisfactory from his
point OF view. And even if the Case bill becom-
es a law through the Presidents signature the
Lewis monopoly will not be effectively d-
mlnished. To do that will require the enactment
OF at least those parts of the Presidents emer-
sency legislative program which are still to be
voted m And ~ Nv Tr,,poa- La-11
Case bill, as many Of his political advisers are
urging him to do, thinking thereby to hold the
bulk Of organized labor urder the Democratic
party standard, Mr.. Lewis will be as free of
restraints as he ever was.
But the Case bill, as it lies on the White
House desk, marks the end of a political epoch
IN the United States. Whether or not it becomes
law now, 1t will eventually. perhaps with
strengthened and added provisions designed to
END the monopoly of organized labor in the
United States. 1t broke through the thirteen
year-old Senate deadlock and this, with the
House last Saturday on the Presidents emer-
gency bill, is surely a sign of changing times.
This measure, which notably amends the
Wagner Act, has seven most important sec-
uons. 1t restores the equal responsibility of
workers with employers in bargaining collective
ly. 1t PROVIDES a slow down technique aoainst
strikes without impairing the basic right If am.
ployes to quit their jobs. BY making unions
liable 70 damage suits for breach of contract
the Dill undermlnes the local laws which. in all
but a few States, make it exceedingly difficult
to sue ano recover from unions in such inst
ances. toremen no longer may claim the juris-
dlctlon OF the NLRB as supervisory employees.
secondary boycotts are subjected to prosecu-
ton under the antitrust laws. Violence and in
ter1erence with interstate are
penalzed. And the measure wipes out exclusive
union control Of welfare funds, one OF the pow
ers Mr.. Lewis was demanding.
The Case bill is far from perfect, and it omits
certain reforms which many students of in
dustral relations have urged as essentials of
a sound and workable labor policy. But, no
matter what is the immediate fate of this leg
~islation. it must be the foundation of any effec.
tive formula Cor the nearest approach to peace
in industry that can reasonably be expected in
this country. That is a great achievement FOR
tbe small group in the House and Senate VIII
have pursued the long disheartening path to-
ward a goal that is drawing nearer.-New,
York Times.