Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-07-18
Asks Anti Strike Law
In Nation sAtom PIunts
Writer Would Ban Stoppcees
OF Needed Defense Work
By Fronk Z. Kent

By Fronk R. Kent
If the American people are not
shocked by the strikes. past and pres
ent. In plants supplying atomic energy,
then they are pretty near shockproof.
For, this is the first time such strikes
have occurred. OF course, there were
numerous indefenSible strikes in de-
tense plants during the last World War.
They slowed down our war effort and
prolonged the conflict, at considerable
cost In men and material.
But, since we entered the 'cold war"
until the last week there had been
no struck atomic plants. With the
country facing the gravest crisis in
its history and our enemy fast closing
the gap that formerly existed in our
favor so far as the production Of these
terrible new weapons are concerned.
the mere thought Of such strikes has
been appalling. Yet now they have
happened. One involving the Go. and
q really serious threat to the national
security. has been settled largely be-
cause President Eisenhower made it
clear that II continued the S0-day In
junction under the Taft-Hartley law
would be asked.
Under that sort Of firmness the
strike collapsed and the men returned
to work. Their grievances win be in
veStigated and they win get justice.
But, they will not get any blind White
House support for strike. Since then.
So-called wildcat" strikes have
broken out In two big atomic plants
at Oak Ridge, Tenn, among ALL
workmen. Probably these may be set->
tied before this piece is printed or
soon after. Certainly, they win not be
allowed to continue many days. The
stakes are too vast and the example
Of nation unable to discipline itself
in q time Of great national peril too
dismaying to permit.
However. after the men all return
to work 1t may be found that several
good purposes have been served by
these strikes. First, 1t will have been
made plain how far these organiza-
tions, as presently led, will 60 regard
less Of the national interest. It clearly
will have been shown that In q time
Of great national peril they will not
hesitate to cripple the Nations de-
lenses. It Is difficult to imagine any
better news for the Kremlin than this.
It is also difficult to imagine any
more convincing demonstration OF the
need to amend existing law so as to
render strikes against the national
security impossible.
Another good purpose that may be
served as to make it palmer how vital
it is to have in the White House
President neither allied with nor
dominated by any group of labor bosses.
This President has no such alliance
and is under no such domination. And
he is the only President in 10 years
OF whom that can be truthfully said.
Contrast the present situation with that
of the Truman administration when
the labor bosses had the run of the
White House and the President auto
matically backed them up. Contrast
; it with the Truman seizure OF the
United States Steel Co. and his
statement supporting the union and
laying all the blame on the companies.
Contrast 1t with his refusal to use the
Hartley Act to protect the ma
tional interests. Instead, he threw his
fun weight behind the strikers and
was only checked by the Supreme
Courts decision that his seizure was
unconstitutional.
It is hoped there will be no repeti-
ton Of these atomic-plant strikes. But
the safe way is to prohibit them by
law So long as it is not q crime to
indulge in a Gripping strike in a
national crisis, there is no guarantee
against such strikes under the kind
of labor leadership we have now. Take,
for example, Walter Reuther Of the
CIO Mr. Reuther is young man
who cares little about the facts. Some
years ago in his strike against the
General Motors, he admitted the un-
truthfulness Of one of his public
charges with the laughing excuse Of
II thought it would put them over
the barrel" Following the end of the
recent Go atomic-energy strikes he
has given forth with another of his
familiar blasts against the Eisenhower
administration.
His theme is that everything Mr..
Eisenhower has done is bad. He all
leges that the administration figures
showing an upturn in business, in
creased employment and decreased
unemployment are not to be relied
upon. He charges the Presidents eco
nomic advisers with misleading the
people and proceeds to put forth fig-
ures Of his CIO economists which
show that the country is headed for
hell and nothing can save us except q
great. new spending program. He
wants to renominate Mr.. Stevenson
for President and Franklin Roosevelt,
jr.. for Governor Of New York. If he
could succeed In electing them he
would, indeed. be in strong position.
He could, In fact, come close to rum
ming the country. There are good
reasons for feeling that this is not