Evening star., 1952-09-18
Ike Rejects compuIsion

It is gratifying that General Eisenhower was
unwilling to CO. hat in hand, to the American
Federation OF Labor seeking political Endorsement.
The cynics may say that he had no chance
in any event of getting that Endorsement. But
this is beside the point The important thing
is that this country has suffered too much under
quid pro quo arrangement between the White
House and the labor leaders. The next Presi-
dent, if he is to serve the best interests of all
the people, must not put himself under political
obligation to labor bosses or any other bosses.
And this, furthermore, may prove to be good
political strategy. Union members as Senator
Taft demonstrated in Ohio, do not necessarily
vote according to the dictates of union leaders.
Apparently recognizing this, General Eisen-
hover aimed his remarks more at the rank and
file than at the AFL leaders assembled in
convention in New York. He appealed to them
as Americans, rather than as men with vested
interest in professional union activity. He
probably will not get the AFL Endorsement. But
he will get great many AFL votes
The speech itself left something to be
desired. As a campaign statement, 1t was bal
anced and temperate. Where Governor Steven
son had acquiesced, General Eisenhower held
out against the clamor for repeal of the Taft
Hartley Act. Again, and still unlike Governor
Stevenson, he did not specifically call for
abandonment of the injunction In labor
disputes
In other areas, however, the speech was
fuzzy. General Eisenhower said, with an excla-
nation point, that he Is against compulsion.
What does that mean? He also said this: IT. in
. national emergency declared by Congress,
Government does move into strike situation to
secure resumption of operations it must at
the same time stimulate, not stifie, collective
bargaining" This seems to recognize that
must act to get strikers back to work-a situa-
ton, for example, in which the national security
is being imminently threatened because union
refuses to call off strike In such a situation,
however, how can the Government secure
resumption of operations" without resorting to
compulsiOn?
A fair appraisal would seem to- be that
General Eisenhower's position on this aspect of
labor legislation is little frmer, little more
realistic, than Governor StevenSons. But neither
candidate has been willing to get right down
to the heart of the matter.
It has been found necessary to resort to
compulsion, in the form OF injunctions or other
wise. to deal effectively with big business COM
binations which threatened the national welfare.
And 1t will be found that it is equally necessary,
in the extreme cases. to resort to compulsion to
deal effectively with big labor combinations
which threaten the national welfare In the case
of labor dispute, resort to compulsion is more
difficult and it is remedy that should be used
sparingly. But when big unions have acquired
the power to wreck the economy of this country,
and when they do not hesitate to use that power,
it is idle to pretend that the national welfare
can be safeguarded without resort to compulsion.
Until political candidates and political Office
holders face up to this unpleasant fact, little or
no real progress viii be made In working out
the best means 10 this end.