Evening star., 1947-02-03
Forecast of Goodwill
By Labor Discounted
Assurances Are Seen as Attempt
To Prevent Union Restriction

1 - -
| Assurances Are Seen as Attempt
To Prevent Union Restriction
By Dapid Laurence
Predictions by labor leaders Of "an
era of good feeling" between manage
ment and labor come like soothing syrup
| at a time of irritation. But such assur.
ances are illusory. They have been made
time and again whenever Congress has
become aware of an aroused public opin-
ion and started to legislate a remedy
| for labor troubles. Then when all threats
! Of legislating at particular session
vanish, labor strife usually is resumed.
Naturally, the labor leaders are trying
by every means to dissuade Congress
| from doing any legislating at all. The
| Truman administration would really like
to leave the situation unchanged, al
though it does sponsor some unim-
portant changes. The "left wing" propa-
ganda machines are working overtime
with the old wheeze that legislation
cures nothing, but the moment anybody
| suggests repeal or amendment of exist
| ing laws-which are also Legislation"
there is howl Of protest.
| The truth is, Congress is face to face
now with legislating on the labor prob
lem, not only because the employers
| want it but because the rank and file
of the workers really want it, too. The
| biggest issue before the country is the
emancipation of the worker from the
totalitarian relationships that exist in
labor unions
The CLOSED shop" issue is not merely
matter of monopoly whereby the Ma
tion's economic system can be paralyzed.
1t is matter of liberation of the indi-
| vidual worker from the clutches of oil
| garchies which can determine his live
lihood unless he bows to the will of q
clique or pays tribute to them.
Workers Begin to Talk.
If the American people want to erect
a government which shall tram
scend their representative system, they
will get it through CLOSED shop" mo-
nopolies and system whereby the en1-
ployers collect dues and really maintain
the membership rolls for the unions at
the behest of unions.
But the workers themselves are be-
ginning to talk Information is flowing
in to Congress which Is opening the
eyes of members to the abuses which
exist inside labor unions and particu-
larly the undemocratic procedures
whereby minority rights are so readily
trampled on.
| Congress has as yet not gotten the
| whole story. 1t will come in time. Any
trade-union movement which must de-
| pend, for instance, on violence and
strong arm intimidation to keep its
union together is not resting on sound
foundation. Any country which exempts
from law enforcement organizations
that use fear and intimidation to MAIN
tain memberships is bound to be piling
up troubles of serious nature for itself
in later days.
The recent Nationwide coal strike
was an example of the monopoly power.
The Truman administration is unwilling
to recommend the remedy it knows
must be applied, but the majority Of
Congress, both Republicans and Demo-
Gratis, are ready to pass laws prohibiting
! such labor monopolies.
Whether Mr.. Truman vetoes such
bills is secondary, for there probably are
enough votes to pass them over his
veto. If, by chance, there are not
enough to make two-thirds, Mr.. Truman
would be on the spot because the drive
to eliminate the possession of the veto
power by Democratic President would
then begin In earnest.
History Might Repeat.
| History might well repeat itself. 1t
was the use of the veto by Republican
President in the face Of Democratic
majority elected in 1910 which helped
swing the country to the election of
President from the party in control Of
| Congress. If the people once get the
| idea that progress on legislation Is
going to be blocked by politician in
the White House, they will surely
change Presidents in 1948. For the set
tlement of the labor problem means
avoidance of depression and unemploy-
| ment.
The labor issue is a deep-seated one.
No proposals have been advanced by
anybody in Congress to weaken collec-
tive bargaining or to take away basic
rights from labor, but the remarkable
opposition being manifested by labor
unions toward any changes in existing
laws is confirming the general impress
sion that vested interests and special
privilege die hard, no matter whether
on the side of labor or management.
What the labor leaders may not
realize is that the rank and file are out
of sympathy with the high-handed
tactics of the international and national
boards of unions and that the safe
| guards in local unions against crooked
use of the ballot and mishandling OF
union finances are not adequate.
The majority in Congress, consisting
| of Republicans and Democrats who
want to pass legislation to cure the labor
| situation, is by no means "anti-labor."
| It is more "pro-labor" than any Congress
has been in 20 years, because it is trying
| to follow the mandate of the last
| election.
The rank and file of the workers found
in the secret ballot chance to protest
against irresponsible strike action and
dictatoriai conduct of labor unions. It
| was the votes of labor union members