Milford chronicle., 1947-03-07
SPOKESMEN FOR LABOR who have


been in Washington recently, supposedly to
speak for their membership in the interests
of fair and sensible revisiOnS of present leglS-
lation, certainly have failed to measure up
to the word "statesmanlike" in the way they
have presented their cases.
Hardly word that can be cOmplimented
by the term "constructive" has issued from
the lips of Messrs Murray, Green, Reuther
and their cOmpanions-in considerable con-
trast, by the way, to the attitude of the ma
jority of those who have offered the views
of management.
Anything that has been brought up as
possible change in present laws has drawn
the chacterization of punitive or as "anti-
labor" by union representatives Any depar-
ture from the status is not acceptable, it ap-
pears, even in the face of voting mandate
given last November that charged Congress
to see that some changes appear in our labor
laws. It's been a stubborn, hang-dOg, petty
attitude and the broad cause of labor probab
ly will suffer.
A number of sound suggestions have
come from the side of management which
certainly do not smack of anything reSemb
ling union-busting What is "anti-labor," for
example, about the simple suggestion that
General Motors President Wilson made the
other day that any strike vote should be held
after collective bargaining has been exhaus-
t0U fdIHcf Cildn UolOTo IL Has SldIIou. OnQef
this proposal Mr. Wilson pointed out, both
management and labor leaders would out
line their final positions to the workmen who
have to make the decision as to whether they
want to strike OF not so they can make that
decision intelligently.
1t is apparent that union leadership feels
today that it must be against anything that
management suggests, however mertOriOus,
and is trying to justify that negative posi-
tion by using the old cry "union-busting"
1t is high time that union leadership
quits shouting "wolf'' and lets the public
know what it is for
THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION has
published an objective, inclusive study on the
labor question. It's conclusions may be sum-
married in the following eight points:
1. In the public interest, industry-wide
bargaining must be prohibited and made an
Offense under the antitrust laws.
2. Existing restrictions on the employers s
right of free speech in labor disputes should
be ended.
3. Discrimination against workers who
do not desire to join uniOn-whch is the
essence of the closed shop principle-shOuld
be removed.
4. Organizational strikes should be pen
allied.
5. Sympathetic and jurisdictional strikes,
and secondary bOycOtts, should be prohibited.
6. Collective bargaining should be made
mandatory for both employers and workers.
At present only the employer is required to
bargain collectively, and unions are free to
do whatever they please.
Z. The cOnciliatiOn service should be
placed in an independent agency. At pres
ent, it is part of a department which is ex-
preSsly charged with promoting the interests
of labor, and which is not unprejudiced.
8. The National Labor Relations Board
which now acts as both judge and prosecutor
should be abolished. A true judicial body
should take its place.
There is nothing in this which threatens
labor's rights. There is nothing to prevent
unions from freely recruiting members
and there is nothing which will stand in the
way of quick and honest settlement of wage
and other disputes. 1t is the kind of pro.
gram which is necessary to protect the pub.
lie against abuses which endanger the pub
lie health and wefare-and the worker
against union czarism which refuses the
right to work to man unwilling to pay
tribute.
SOME MANUFACTURERS of Amer
can watches are filling the insdes of the
cover with movements imported from Eu
rope and those ''works" come from foreigr
ionu1dCluIeIS VI cneap ana low prlceC
watches This is fact reported officially by
the United States Tariff Commission this
month. The Tariff Commission has found NJ
way to stop these tricks of the trade, and i
admits that any action on it's part, whether
to increase duties or establish quota, intend
ed for reduced imports drastically would Op
crate to increase smuggling, and, since sucl
action would presumably result in abroga
tlon of the trade agreement with Switzerlan,
1t might also result in loss of Swiss coopera
ton in suppression of smuggling" Th
Tariff Board says that "abrogation of tn
trade treaty with Switzerland is possible
Let's hope so. The sooner such crooked ar
rangements are abrogated the better!