Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1950-09-08
Patriotism Exists In War Plants
If Bosses Don't Destroy 1t
BY Bradford v. Carter
LPA COIumniSt

The question of strikes in wartime is with us again, and,
as usual there's plenty OF disagreement on what can be done
When the legal mumbo- jumbo is bypassed, however, it all
comes down to the men and women in the shops. If they really,
want to strike, nothing will stop them, and if they feel they are
doing the wrong thing by striking, they don't need any law to
This has been proven time and again. The paramount
factor in settling wartime labor disputes is patriotism. You have
to get people to accept responsibility and act voluntarily. Sane
tons against strikes only lead to a mess. At best, they keep
production going under the least favorable circumstances
A Senate subcommittee on labor-management relations has
scheduled hearings in Washington on this subject Sept. 5 to 49,
With the world in turmoil and the future uncertain, they want
to find out what is the best way to handle wartime disputes
And, for the first time in history, they are asking the people
who would be affected. They are consulting labor, management.
and public experts on the subject.
While working on the Defense Production Act, Congress
The Act contains many other things besides labor relations, and
they didn't have time to study all of them before taking action.
Now it's time to sit down and think about it a little. What are
the problems in defense production? How can they best be
handled?
To the Tafts and the Donnells it's a simple matter. You just
pass legislation outlawing strikes. And you throw anyone who
violates it into jail
it violates all the guarantees of the us. Constitution. 1t has the
the additional disadvantage that it doesn't work. 1t might scare
some people from striking, but would lead to such widespread
discomfort that production would be slowed down.
has been used most widely in extreme situations is government
seizure and operation of the struck plant. This can range all the
way from a token seizure, like that under which the govern
ment is now operating the railroads, to a complete operation
where the government really takes over as boss.
There were 80 to 40 plants seized by the War Department
during World War II. At the end of hostlities several were
still in the hands of the government. The problem of "un-seiz-
ing a plant is no small one. In most cases where the War De-
partment took over a plant, it accepted the recommendations Of
the War Labor Board on the dispute. When the company got
it back, it pretty much had to keep the changes.
For this reason, you often find a union or an employer
trying to maneuver the government into a seizure. The seizure
itself can force the company or the union, whichever is resist
ing the recommendations, to accept them.
This obviously is often a clumsy way to do things But how
can it be avoided? That's one of the things the Senate commit
tee may try to find out. It's not easy to,work out an alternative
and nobody has a pat answer.
Another question the Senators intend to tackle is whether
there should be a War Labor Board again. A lot of people
complained about the WLB last time, about its decisions, or
about the way it was set up. Again the problem arises: how to
find an alternative. There will have to be some agency to handle
labor problems. Maybe a war labor board setup, with labor,
management and. public participation is the best of all possible
evils. Maybe something better could be invented.
A good example of patriotism working, is provided by the
atomic industry, which has been on a war footing since its
birth. There has never been a major strike in the industry;
not because of fancy panels and boards set up to govern ii, but
largely because of the sense of responsibility on the part of
the workers.
strike at Oak Ridge. Management was trying to cut back on
gains won by the ALL Atomic Trades & Labor Council. But
not once during that time, was production interrupted. The COM
pany knew they could provoke the workers plenty, without
having them walk out, for the men knew they were working
ON a product vital to the nation.
The patriotism that has worked so well in atomic energy.
is not a pure, selness devotion. 1t is heavily weighted with a
realistic consideration of the press and public reaction to any,
thing these important workers do. -
This is a fact that companies time and again cash in on. v
They know that in wartime, public sentiment is so heavily
against any production delay or stoppage that workers will
feel the pressure. And they use publicity techniques at their
disposal to heighten the feeling. ~
One thing is certain: that there will be many selfish and
greedy employers in any war, who will use patriotism" to
keep wage increases from their employees. That problem is one
that the committee should give careful consideration. n.
The Joes in the plant are quick to respond to patriotic ap-
peals. This was shown right after the outbreak of hostnities in
Korea, when workers came back from a picket line in New
Jersey to complete some Navy orders for electrical equipment.
(And then continued their strike.
This feeling, the cornerstone to preventing stoppages in
wartime, should be protected. For if greedy employers take
advantage of it too often, it will someday cease to exist.