Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-17
Union Labor Power
A Growing Issue
BY LEE M. COIN
star stan Writer

BY LEE NJ. COIN
star stan Writer
Behind the uproar about reform
laws to clean up labor racketeer-
ing lies a larger. more crucial ques-
ton: DO unions WELD too much
economic power?
The University OF Virginia Press
has published q book that answers
eyes"
"The Public stake in Union
Power" edited BY Philip ID. Brad
ley. is a symposium based on guest
lectures by l6 economists last year
at the University's Graduate
School Of Business Administra-
ton.
The economists. all drawn from
university faculties. are unanimous
In asserting that unions have too
much power, that they often use
their power to damage the econ
omy. and that this power must be
curbed drastically.
Mr.. Bradley. q former economics
professor at Harvard University,
says this unaninlity is the product
Of coincidence. He says he tried
to locate the best scholars"
through consultation with econo-
mists at leading universities. He
says he also tried to achieve q
balanced age distribution. from
young to old.
The editor makes no apology
for the fact that none Of his lee
turers was sympathetic to the ira
ditional union viewpoint. There
was no spokesman there for unions
nor for business. nor for that mat
ter were there Spokesman for Gov
ernment." he says.
Union leaders unquestionably
will consider the books findings
and recommendations ''anti-
labor" Nevertheless. the proyoca-
tive technique which Mr.. Bradley
employs helps spotlight a major
issue Just beginning to take shape
in the national consciousness.
Political Strength Cited
Edward H. Chamberlin, Har-
ward professor, sets the tone for
the book in his opening essay as
sailing union power. He notes that
unions are strong politically, as
well as economically. so it is diff
ficult to restrain them through
Government regulation.
But, he continues, ''the revela-
tons of the Mcclellan (Senate
Rackets) Committee have again
put unions on the defensive and
have perhaps created another OPP
portunity for constructive action
beyond the worthy though limited
detectives Of protecting union
members themselves from abuse
Of power within their organiza-
tons and from corruption"
To combat imitation and restrain
labor's abuses. he urges, the only
real remedy is ito attack the
problem at its source and seek
means to diminish labor power
ITSELF"
Among his recommendations to
reduce the monopoly" power Of
unions are proposals to prohibit
secondary boycotts and sharply
restrict organizational picketing.
Several Of the other lecturers
agree. Unions are working hard
on Capitol Hill to keep boycott
and picketing curbs out of the
misunderstanding legislation they
support.
Like all monopolieS. Mr.. Cham
berlin contends, unions are selfish.
When union uses its power to
force wages up. he states, "the real
income Of all are diminished for
the benefit Of a particular group
Of laborers." He maintains con-
sumers are hurt because prices
rise, and workers with less power
SuHer because their wages are
depressed.
Monopoly Theme
Developing the monopoly theme,
Frank H. knight Of the University
Of Chicago calls collective bargain
ing simply monopolistic action on
the part Of labor union" The
union, he contends, "can secure
price (wage) above the free
competitive level only by arbi-
trarily restricting the quantity (of
labor offered for sale, obstructing
access to work in the unions
Jurisdiction"
Union power to grab profits dis
courages investment and enter
prise. Mr.. Knight maintains, and
thus retards economic growth and
causes unemployment.