Evening star., 1947-03-04
Farm Bureau Urges
Forced Arbitration
OF Labor Troubles
BY the A..eeiat.d Pres.

The American Farm Bureau
Federation today asked Con-
gress to enact legislation re-
quiring compulsory arbitration
of labor-management disputes
which affect public health and
welfare.
Edward A. ONeal, the federation's
president. presented the organiza-
tion's stand to the Senate Labor
Committee.
Farmers believe that for the good
OF our entire Nation the economic
warfare between industry and labor
at the expense Of the public must
be stopped" he said.
Before Mr.. O'Neals appearance
before the committee. Senator
Morse, Republican, of Oregon told
q reporter he thought revision Of
the Wagner Act-rather than new
laws-is the best way to achieve
labor-management peace. He in
tends to introduce on Friday a bill
calling for extensive changes in
the act.
Would OUTLAW Closed Shop.
Mr.. O'Neal suggested compulsory
arbitration of labor disputes as only
a'"hna1 step" after negotiation and
mediation attempts have failed.
Under compulsory arbitration, the
disputants would have no alterna-
tive, when hopelessly deadlocked,
but to submit their quarrel to an
impartial third party whose deci-
sion would be binding.
There are no bills requiring COM
pulsory arbitration pending in the
Senate, but the proposal has been
made in the House.
As be did before the House COM
mittee last week, Mr.. O'Neal also
called for legislation to:
/. Outlaw closed shops, secondary
boycotts and jurisdictional and SYM
pathetic strikes.
2. Strip workers of their rights
under the Wagner Labor Relations
Act when they engage in wildcat"
strikes. Among other things, this
would permit employers to fire them.
Penalties for Unions Provided.
8. Make unions subject to prose-
cution under the antitrust laws and
liable to suit for breach of contract.
4. Impose penalties on unions
which resort to force, violence. in
timidation or unlawful seizure of
property.
Senator Morse said his bill to re-
wise the Wagner Act is my sum-
mary Of the type of labor legislation
we ought to have"
Senator Morse, member of the
Labor Committee, said that among
other things the bill would:
/. Eliminate what he termed the
"abuses" of the closed shop, under
which only workers who belong to
unions can get jobs.
2. Regulate industry wide bar
gaining.
3. Setup procedures for settling
jurisdictional disputes-union quar-
rels over which should handle cer-
tain work.
4. Seek to prevent secondary boy
cotts-the refusal of one union to
handle merchants products which
have been made or handled by
another union, or by non-union
workers.
Opposes Outright Ban.
Senator Morse is opposed to pend
ing legislation which would ban. out
right these things he wants to
remedy. .ta,.usl..T.,
On the other side of the Capitol,
Eric Johnston, president of the
Motion Picture Association of Amer
ica, testifies before the House Labor
Committee.
The House group was informed
late yesterday that threatened
April strike of telephone workers
will, if it develops, halt commune
Cations throughout the United
States and perhaps internationally. "
This estimate of the walkout's
potentialities came from Joseph A.
Beirne, president of the National
Federation Of Telephone Workers,
which is demanding $12-a-week
pay raise.
The federation has issued 80
day strike notices for $4,000 COM
munications workers in So States.