Evening star., 1950-02-01
Administration Gives
John |. Lewis a Way
To Get OFF Hook
Return TO Lurge-SeoIe
Production by Miners
Expected Next Week
By David Laurence

BY David Laurence
John L. Lewis has been given in
quite respectful terms a way to
get "od the hook"
It may be taken for granted,
therefore, that. whatever the de-
vice accepted and whatever the
language Of the reply from Mr..
Lewis, the end result next week
VIII be return to large scale
coal production.
The President was careful to
leave the way open to a settle
ment in the next four days by
collective bargaining. He was
careful to leave the way open for
o formal use of the 80-day In
junction clause Of the Taft Fart
ley Act If the first plan is re-
5ected. He was careful also to
give the mine workers union Q
chance for a thorough exposition
OF it's views and the benefit oi
formal recommendations by the
board. The fact finding board
device provided for by the Taft
Hartley Act does not permit
Recommendations"
Disparages Taft Act.
II is illusory to say that the
Presidents proposal disparages
the Taft Hartley Act. Without
this very law in the background
there would be little force behind
the plan which MIR. Truman now
promulgates. For Mr.. Lewis know.
that If he doesn't accept the
Presidents program for a To-day
fact finding board-which is en-
powered to make recommends
tfons-he Will have to send his
miners back to work anyway TN
der an 80-day injunction and an
inquiry by a fact finding board
that cannot make any recon-
mendatfons.
IN the end, the latter scheme
could mean a resumption of the
strike 80 days hence and then a
message from the President OF
the United States to Congress
asking that there be incorporated
into law the 70-day-truce idea
plus a fact-f1nding board with the
power to recommend a settlement
This suggested amendment to ex-
fsting statutes has already re-
cetved widespread Endorsement on
Capitol Hill from members Of both
political parties.
There is always a chance that,
between now and Saturday, col
lective bargaining directly be-
tween the parties could effect a
quick settlement. It isn't likely
but it is conceivable. For Mr.
Lewis doesn't like presidential
fact finding boards or Govern
fnent intervention unless he can
have q voice behind the scenes ir
picking the beard members or the
naediators or arbitrators.
Mr. Lewis argument to the coal
operators might run something
like this: I'VE don't want the
Government prescribing settle
rne1sts in the coal industry and
neither do you. Let's make an
agreement.
Such an attitude would mean
concessions on the part of the
mine workers union and of the
operators. Mr.. Lewis knows how
to engineer a compromise and he
viii do so If he feels he cannot get
more through some method osher
than direct bargaining.
White House Stand?
Where does the White House
stand. however? Is there a reaii-
ness there to help Lewis "off the
hook" with a fact finding board
membership predisposed to be
friendly to him? Is the President
really agreeable 10 q three-day
week as meaning q return of nor
NAL production"
It seems incredible that White
House aides should be reported
as having intimated already that
the President was ready to make
a quibblfng or evasive interpre-
tation Of the word normal so az
to accept a resumption of the
three-day week as normal" Thi.
sounds like an interference ir
the action taken by the genera
counsel of the National Labor
Relations Beard, who this week il
in court trying to enjoin tn.
three-day work week as a form
of strike. To condone the regu.
lation OF production by q labor.
unon monopoly through a three
day work week would be q eurieu.
use OF executive power and in
fiuence. It would lay the Presiden
open to the charge that he is con
riying with Mr.. Lewis in the con.
tinuance of intermittent wori
stoppages.
There Is a genuine opportunity
on the other hand, for a con.
structiye result through q SINGER.
acceptance of the fact -ffndne
plan by both operators and unions
Certainly II direct negotiation
cannot succeed, then q formal re.
port OF q disinterested board
backed by public opinion, win hell
to lift the whole controversy eu
Of the atmosphere of amhiguitieI
In which IL has drffted fer sev.
eral months. The Presidents plar
approximates compulsory arbitra
ton no matter how much h,
stresses voluntarism. But, wiGl
o growing crisis and the threa
Of an economic paralysis, com
pulsion or its. equivalent become
logical sequel.
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