Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-18
Lobor-Business Truces
Are Rorely Successful
By JOSEPH M. GAMBATEsE

q
AFL-CIO President George
Meany's proposal Of "a nom
aggression pact" between top
labor and business organize
tons recalls at least Eve other
attempts to bring about q
better understanding between
the two groups through agree
ment at the summit on certain
principles involving their re-
lations.
Twice, In wartime. the at
tempts were successful for the
duration of hostilities. The
others failed after serious and
frequently violent discussions.
Mr.. Meany's idea Of "a live
and-let-live agreement" as he
calls It, may not even reach
the discussion stage. Neither
the Government, which in
spired all but one Of the earlier
conferences. nor business
leaders seem really interested
In the proposal right now.
A study of previous top
labor-management discussions
reveals something of a pat
tern which would seem to
doom any similar conference
at this time. The successful
conferences took place in 1918
and 1941 under the pressure
of war necessity and at the
instigation Of the White House
both elements now lacking.
Meony's Aim
On the other hand, Mr..
Meany IN outlining his pro-
posal did not raise contro-
versial issues. the presence of
which in other conferences
was damaging. Instead. he
stressed what he considered
areas Of agreement: A COM
mon interest in business pros
perity; in free labor, free en-
terprise and free government;
in less government; in peace
full settlement of disputes,
and in opposition to commu-
nism.
He feels that industry and
labor can, and ought to, work
together to promote these
common interests instead Of
continuing a habit Of oppos-
ing most of the things the
other side proposes. His sug-
gestion of nonaggression
pact at this time was his way
of trying to allay fears that
the newly merged, Is million
member AFL-CIO will use its
increased power against the
public interest.
Obstacles to a successful
conference at this time include
q lack of urgency and O lack
Of interest on the part of
the Government and business
groups, largely because of
prosperity, the low ebb Of
strikes, and a drastic revision
Of the aft-Hartley labor law
which labor would want to
make a condition Of any labor
management agreement.
Eorlier ToIks
Here Is q look at the pre-
vious labor-management ccn-
ferences and the circumstances
and issues which surrounded
them:
. March, 1918-A War La
Dor Conference was convened
by President Wilson to agree
on q uniform national policy
for settling labor disputes in
war industries without strikes.
A record number of strikes
had occurred during 1917, the
first war year. An interde-
partmental committee of war
agencies, headed by Assistant
Secretary Of the Navy Frank
lin d. Roosevelt. and the Pres
ident's Mediation Commission,
of which Felix Frankfurter
was secretary. pointed out that
the various departments, la
Dor boards and commissions
lacked a uniform policy to
guide them.
A conference Of industry,
labor and public representa-
tives agreed on q National War
Labor Board to settle disputes
and on a set Of principles.
One principle was a major
victory for labor unions at that
time: Recognition Of workers
right to organize and bargain
collectively, but with two lin
itations insisted on by employ
er spokesman. Workers could
not be coerced into joining
unions and employers could
insist on dealing only with
their own employees and not
with outside union leaders.
The unions agreed not to
strike.
. October, 1919-An Indus
trial Conference was called by
President Wilson to discuss
the labor strife then rampant
and methods Of bringing labor
and industry into closer CO.
operation. Unions were fight
ing for recognition and higher
wages and were beginning to
penetrate the steel and other
mass production industries.
Bernard M. Baruch was pub
lie chairman.
The conference broke down
mainly on the issue Of union
recognition, a wartime gain the
unions wanted to hold onto,
and AFL President Samuel
Gompers' attempt to have q
big steel strike arbitrated. The
plea for union recognition
was supported by John D.