Evening star., 1951-02-04
Strong Words Are Not Enouoh

The President, who said not long ago that he
believed in calling aggression by it's right name
now has done some plain talking about the rail-
road strike. But in this matter strong words
are not enough
This strike is stepped in dishonesty and is
doing great deal of damage both materially
and morally, to the country
The SWitchmen who have walked off their
Jobs are not SICK and every one knows it, This
is simply transparently dishonest device to
escape the consequences which might befall them
If they went out openly on strike This is a seri-
ouS matter in itself. For if men will not deal
honestly in such matters, how is it possible to
enter into any agreement with them that merits
confidence?
OF greater moment however, is the damage
to the country that this strike is doing. Mr.
Truman says that it is directly injuring our
national security" Men engaged in defense work
are being laid eff as result of the strike and
defense plants are being shut down. Food and
clothing destined for our combat forces in Korea
are tied up in shutdown yards In a few more
days, the results will be calamitous.
There are those who make excuses for the
strikers. 1t is said they have not had a wage
increase since 1948, and that it is true But it is
their own fault. Last June, after extensive hear
ings, presidential fact-finding board recon-
mended an increase Of Is cents an hour The
the railroads, trying to avert strike raised the
ante to % cents an hour. The union still refused.
Then came the White House intervention. This
resulted in an apparent agreement on Is cents
an hour, plus st-of-ving protection, plus other
benefits. This signed by the union repre-
sentatlves, but was later rejected. Others say
the railroad presidents should be compelled to
negotiate with the union presidents. But what
is the point Of this? The railroad representatives
have had full authority to negotiate and their
agreements have been kept. 1t is the union rep
resentatives who have not acted in responsible
manner and who, as the President says appar-
emily signed the White House agreement in bad
faith. So what purpose would be served by
bringing the railroad presidents into the picture?
What is obviously needed in this situation is
some means of holding the unions responsible
for the acts of their members. If the unions
cannot control their members in matters that
come within the province of the unions, then
they have no right to function as the repre-
sentatives of the men.
How this can best be done is a difficult
question. But some means of doing it must be
found. The Government cannot call on all other
Americans for heavy sacrifices in the name of
the natonal welfare and permit handful of
irresponsible strikers to pursue thcr own reckless
and selfish q ms. That not only cripples the
national effort in material sense; it will, if
tolerated, certainly destroy the national morale.
1t is not enough to denounce this strike, or even
to find some way of patching up the dispute.
The President, as Chief Executive should start
now to provide the machinery that will compel,
not some or most, but all Americans to serve the
interests of their country on even terms. All
unions today enjoy privileged status under the
law. If this privilege is going to be abused, 1t
Is being abused, It must be revoked