The union times., 1946-12-28
Free Collective
 Bargaining Only Road To Peace
US. Advisory Board Is Against Compulsory Ar bitration or Super
 Machinery

Labor has often said that industrialists who are deter mined to shackle labor and cripple unions by legislation are in a minority, though they make the most noise and get the most space in newspapers.
 The vast number of employers who believe in collective bargain ing and who deal fairly with unions rate about the same as the bulk of workers who never en- gage in strikes they "don't make news" not in. the daily press.
 JOIN HANDS
 This week, some outstanding spokesmen of these ''siIent'' enn- plOyers, joined hands with representatives of organized labor in the significant declaration supporting free collective bargain ing, without legislative restraints.
 The statement was put out by the LabOr-Management Advisory Com mittee of the U. s. Consolidation Service.
 Management members of the committee are: H. W. Steinkraus. president of the Bridgeport Brass Company, Bridgeport, Conn.,; Louis Ruthenburg, president of Servel, Inc., Evansville, Ind.; V. P. Ahearn, executive secretary of the National Sand and Gravel Associa- tiOn,, Inc, and Clarence O. Skin- ner, head of the Automotive and Aviation Parts Manufacturers, Inc.
 Labor members are: Frank P. FentOn and Boris Shishkin, for the A. F. of L.; Clinton s. Golden and Richard T. Leonard, for the CLIO.
 ''We believe that a system of free collective bargaining can york;" the committee proclaimed unanimously. 'sWe believe that any form of compulsory arbi- tratiOn or ssuper-machinery' for disposition of labor disputes may frustrate rather than foster in- dustrial peace.
 JOINT RESPONSIBILITY
 With collective bargaining freed from all wartime controls we be- ieve that American industry and American labor can and will as- sume their individual and joint re- spOnsibility for the production of the goods and services SO necessary to a prosperous peacetime Amer ica.''
 The committee stressed the fact the governments postwar policy of free collective bargaining places full responsibility for continuous production on management and Ha- bOr.''
 There IS now no labor board to fix wage rates or order conditions of work, the committee added. Disputes over these issues must now be settled by give and take at the bargaining ta- ble. This is as it should be.''
 STRENGTHEN MEANS
 While opposing compu1Sion, the committee members felt that concilia- ton and mediation procedures could be strengthened to help settle disputes by voluntary means.
 They made number of specie recommendations CD That na- tiOnally known experts in labor re- latiOns be asked to serve as special conciliatOrs in major disputes; (2) that representatives of industry and labor be chosen as advisers to con. ciIiatOrs in knOtty controversies where such method would be heIp- tul; (3) that voluntary arbitration be written more widely into eoIlec- tive bargaining agreements; and (4) that in cases ''Of national i'm. pOrtance, emergency boards = along the lines of the Railway La. Dor Act-be appointed to make findings, where both sides agree to establishment of such boards.
 Edgar L. Warren, director of the Consolidation Service, hailed the state ment as further evidence concerning his view that "it is possible for manage ment and labor to sit down across the table and work out practical pro- gram tor settling their differences.
 BROWN DISSENTS
 In the main, the statement received most favorable reception in the ranks ot labor, industry and Congress.
 An exception was Congressman Clarence Brown (Rep., OhiO), who IS trying to become C. o. P. floor leader in the House and who is a recognized exponent of Big Busi- ness.