Evening star., 1947-06-25

Wltn QOuDlt-IildUC. AbS SdihS
was over when he "smothered" Mr.
thority to recommend settlement
terms either at this stage or later
The President then may direct the
Attorney General to petition the ap-
propriate Federal district court for
an injunction against the stoppage
The yardsticks to be used by the
court in ruling on the injunction is
whether the dispute affects an en-
tire industry or substantial part
thereof" and whether 1t imperils the
national health or safety.
Report Due in so Days.
Upon issuance of the injunction,
the next step is for the President
to reconvene the inquiry board. The
board is given so days in which to
report the current position of the
disputants and of efforts which have
been made at settlement.
Then the National Labor Relations
Board is given IS days in which to
take a secret ballot OF employees as
to whether they wish to accept their
employers final offer. Results OF
the election must be certified to the
Attorney General within five days.
The Attorney General must
petition and the court must grant a
motion to discharge the injunction,
whether or not the employees reject
the employers offer. A strike Is
legal after that.
The final step calls for the Pres
ident to submit a full report OF the
case to Congress, together with
such recommendations as he may
see fit to make for consideration
and appropriate action"
Steps Then Unclear.
Then it is up to Congress, and
just what they would do about 1t
is unclear, beyond the fact that 1t
may be expected to take some sort
Of emergency action designed to
cope with the situation.
This machinery. like other provi-
Sions of the new labor law, is
applicable to workers in industries
or businesses engaged in inter-
state commerce or affecting inter-
state commerce.
1t also is applicable to commerce
within the District, but there are
not many activities here which
would fit the national emergency
definition. 1t is possible that il
might be interpreted as applying
to a streetcar or other utility strikes
here. The machinery could not be
used for a purely local utility stop
page outside the District, however
such as last years power strike at
Pittsburgh, unless the utility were
engaged in traffic across State lines
The Governments experience
with strike votes under the Smith
Connally Act shows that workers
almost invariably vote heavily for
strike. Some employers have crit
icized the emergency machinery on
the grounds that a one-sided vote
on management final settlement
offer would place the union In q
more powerful bargaining position
On that score President Truman
in assailing the plan in his veto
message, said:
'The union would then be re-
inforced by q dramatic demonstra-
ton, under Government auspices, of
its strength for further negotiations. "
Machinery Held Ineffective.
He said the machinery is 'ineffec-
tive and discriminatory" and would
"be certain to do more harm than
good"
Another section of the new law
provides for waiting periods before
strike or lockout action in industries
where activities are not so vital to
the national welfare.
This provides that all unions or
employers coming within the purview
Of the act must serve 60-day notice
of contract termination or modiflca-
tion.
Within 30 days of the expiration
Of the contract. the new Federal
Mediation and Cancellation Service
is to be notified After that the
parties must maintain status quo''
for so days. Upon expiration Of the
period, legal strike may take place
This Is designed to prevent en-
ployes from striking or employers
from locking them out while Federal
conciliators attempt to settle the
dispute. In the event of a strike
within the prescribed time, employees
would lose their protection and
rights under the act. An employer
violating the section would be sub
| ject to a cease and desist order from
| the NLRB.
| Critics of the law say this provision
could be used for union busting
Whether provoked to such action OF
otherwise the employe who engaged
in strike during the bargaining OF
mediation period would lose his
status. The employer, it is held, then
could bring in strike breakers, cal
for new election as to whether the
| workers wished the old union to
represent them and toss out the
union.
Laboratory Authorized
RICHMOND, Va, June 25 dP.-
The ONCE of Housing Expeditel
yesterday authorized the Dupont