Evening star., 1947-05-01
u. 5. Chamber 10 Vote
Today on Resolution
Attacking Closed Shop
By Vincent Dwyer

a ldOOT IcSOluClOl WHICH COn-
demned the closed shop and
said an employees right to work
should never be dependent upon
union membership"
The resolution also would outlaw
Nmonopolistic practices" caused by
industry-wide bargaining, strikes
against Federal, State or local gov
ernments, sympathy strikes, juris.
dictional strikes, strike -enforced
royalty payments, secondary boy.
colts and the "use of economic
power to require an employer tt
carry on the payroll more worker,
than are needed"
1t also said supervisory employe,
are members OF management ano
should be so recognized. They
should not belong to or be affil-
lated with other unions Of EN-.
ployes."
introduced at today's final ses.
sion Of the 35th annual meeting o.
the chamber, the resolution Is ex,
pected to be approved by the 2,0ot
delegates.
Would Permit Free BARGAINING.
The resolution said employe,
should be permitted to organize ane
bargain collectively wherever sucf
action Is result of their own fret
and uncoerced choice" It said thu
right to strike Is not an absolute
right, but is qualified by the fact,
and circumstances In each situa-
ton"
Strikes should never be permitted
against services affecting the safety
health and welfare of the people
until due precautions have been
taken to safeguard the services" the
resolution said.
Speaking on compulsory union
. ism" the resolution said it leopard
lied the right to work. 1t said "a
labor union should recruit and hold
It's members on Its merits and not
by making membership In any Or
ganization condition Of employ
ment."
Condemns Physical Force.
The resolution also condemned use
OF physical force, threats, violence
and mass picketing.
Chamber members unanimo mously
adopted resolution approving the
emergency program Of aid 10 Greece
and Turkey. This resolution recon-
rnended, however, that the Govern
raent mot undertake extensive for
ign commitments without due re-
gard to the economic and military
resources we possess to fulfill them. y
In another resolution the cham
ber recommended that present So
cial Security benefits be extended to
cover employees of nonprofit organ
izations, Government workers, rail-
road employees, agricultural workers
and others not now covered. When
such employees are covered, present
retirement systems protecting Gov
erpmert and railroad employees
should be revised.
EmpIoye Protection. 8.
.~,Ts1 res olution said employers
= should be coaraged to proteot tefa-
ployes against wage loss because OF
sickness but no compulsory legisla
Z ton should be enacted" unless
r efforts to provide voluntary protec-
ton fails.
A resolution to permit a reason.
able number of displaced per.
sons to enter the United States and
iv,ax>
quota allotments to permit this was
not acted upon when members en-
tered inconclusive debate on the
matter.
House Majority Leader Haheck
told chamber members in a speech
today 1t was incredible how little
business had done toward a public
education program and said that
fact had caused many economic
fallacies to gain wide currency. Con-
gress. he said, has demonstrated the
will and courage to reduce Govern
rient expenditures.
Only Labor Can Destroy Itself.
In another speech, Ralph Brad
ford. executive vice president of the
chamber, said labor should not be
deprived Of its social and economic
gains. He declared there is no pub
lie sentiment and no business senti-
ment in favor of taking away those
gains. Only labor itself can destroy
the position 1t has won"
Mr.. BradforJ said the chamber
was1 not appearing either in the
role OF management's champion or
labor's opponent" but wanted indus
trial peace.
Secretary of Commerce Hartman
last night told delegates develop
ment OF peaceful enterprises" in
Germany and Japan would ease
the tax burden on Americans. He
said the United States is aiding
the economic restoration of the
former enemy countries to remove
major blocks which have thus far
oostructed the general economic
reconstruction Of the world"
Such restoration, he said, Is nee
essary to help both Europe and
the Far East reach a reasonable
level OF well-being"
None Predicts Depression.
Five economists and one busi-
nessman yesterday discussed before
delegates the subject Of How to
Counteract Depressions. They were
agreed only that formula fol ac-
curately forecasting business con-
ditions would be great help In
economic planning.
. None would fatty predict there
win be a depression or even a
minor recession. None claimed 10
have . sure-flre remedy for an
. economic collapse If there is one,
. Rufus s. Tucker, General Motors
. Corp, economist, said depressions
. have been prolonged by not cutting
.. wages when that would have meant
lower prices, reviving demand.
: DR.. Richard B. Heflebower, Brook
. ings Institution economist. said
whether prices should be reduced
. Is problem for the Judgment and
: conscience" OF the individual busi-
: snessman. He said that for a con-
ssiderable number of items prices
!. are going to come down and de
slayed adjustments are more pre-
.cipitous and their secondary influ-
.enceS more WIDESPREAD"