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Show I SE N NH H H5XITD H5XITDavd ! RD " Ut-\ Ut UtNATIONALCAPITAL 61 avd avdnd"t1e ! - \ nd nd"t1e ndt1e nd"t1eNLTIONAJ NATIONALCAPITAL NLTIONAJLAP N NLTIONAJ , ( TIONM NATIONALCAPITALpy LAP APITA ! TAI TAIk TAICarter k py Carter FieldWashington Field . WashingtonSince Washington -Since Since - - Since his bis arrival inWashington In InWashington in"Washington inWashington Washington " , , Georges Bonnet , , , the thenew thenew thenew new French ambassador , has been beenthe beenthe beenthe the target at nearly every socmlunctlon socialfunction socml social socialfunction unctlon function ! he has attended for ques- ques questions ques questions - . tions tlOns about the sit down strikes and andwhat andwhat andwhat what has happened about them them.The themThe . The questioners started off with the thepopular thepopular thepopular popular delusion that the sit down downstrIke downstrike downstrike strIke orlgmatein originates orlgmate\ orlgmate \ . . in France . M Bonnet hastens to set them themrIght themright themright rIght about this He is not sure just"here just justft justwhere "here here where " ft here they did originate , but he heknows heknows heknows knows they were in m vogue in Poland Polandbefore Polandbefore Polandbefore before they were ever emplo employed ed in inFrance inFrance inFrance France . But the big surprise is what has hashappened hashappened hashappened happened since smce they started in inFrance inFrance inFrance France The French government governmentquestioners , questioners are told , simply slffiply said it itwould itwould itwould would not stand for them themI I ' It so sonotified sonotified sonotuicd notified strikers strlkers and labor leaders leaders.When leadersWhen . When sit down strikers strl1.ers strl1ers . were apeproached ap approached ape ap- ap approached - proached bs bJ by the French police pollce , they theyabandoned theyabandoned theyabandoned abandoned their thelI " "posts posts " " with only onlyvocal onlyvocal onlyvocal vocal objections obJechons No one was hurt hurtThere hurtThere hurtThere There v . was as no disorder . All of " which "hICh hICh is rather startling startlmg to toWshmgton's toWashington's toWashington's toWashingtons Wshmgton's Wshmgtons Washington's Washingtons : ' diners dmers out , especIally especiallyas especIallya a as : ; they had assumed that the pres- pres present pres present - . ent French government is almost almostCommumstccrtamly almostCommunistcertainly almostCommunist hberalthan hberal hberalthan hberalthan Commumst-ccrtamly Commumst ccrtamly Communist-certainly Communist certainly - - certainly more than most , and presumably much muchmore muchmore muchmore more pro labor than the present ad administration ad- ad adninistrstion - . ninistrstion ministration mimstr tlOn m in this countr country ' . Meanwhile MeanwluIe there is plenty of dis discussion . cussion cession in senate and house cloak cloak- cloakrooms cloakrooms cloakrooms - rooms , and elsewhere , as to what whatought whatought whatought ought to be done about sit down downshlkers downstrikers downstiikers shlkers strikers , and who ought to do It ItThere itThere itThere There are plenty of at suggestions that thatGro thatGroper thatGro\pr thatGro pr Gro\ Gro Grof'r Groper \ f'r fr ' Cleveland Cle\-Cland Cle Cland Cie'eland Cieeland \ - ' would . know b.nOW bnOW how howto howto howto to handle it In fact fact , , his name was wasmentloned wasmentioned wasmentioned mentloned mentioned to a recent visitor on onCapitol onCapitol onCapitol Capitol hill by tv two . 0 very distm distin- distin distinguisno distm-guisn2(1 distm guisn2(1 guisn21 - . gulsn2 guisno : ( senatorsWhere senators senatorsWhere Where Power LiesThere Lies LiesThere There is a very wide difference of ofopmlon ofopinion ofopinion opmlon opinion as to where the constitution constitutIon- constitutional - al power lies hes Some lawyers among amongthe amongthe amongthe the national natIonaJ legislators insist mSlst that thatthe thatthe thatthe the federal and state governments governmentshave governmentshave governmentshave have joint power . The theory here hereis hereis hereis is that the sit down strikes stnkes in the theautomobile theautomobile theautomobile automobile plants affect mterstate interstate mterstatecommerce interstatecommerce interstatecommerce commerce , , hence thrusting thrustmg respon respon- responSIbIlIty responsibility responsibility - - sibility on the federal government governmentfor governmenttor tor for the movement of goods across acrossstate acrossstate acrossstate state ImesThis linesThis lines Imes linesThis This is a minority mInonty view , as most mostlawyers mostlawyers mostlawyers lawyers agree that automobile pro pro- produchon production - ' duction duchon , to take tahe the most popular popularInstance popularinstance popularinstance Instance , is strictly intrastate mtrastate , de- de despite despite de despite - - spite the very obvious effects such sucha a strike stnhe would have on mterstate interstate mterstatecommerce interstatecommerce interstatecommerce commerce , both in m the flow of sup sup- supplIes sup- sup supplies supplies - plies to the plant and the flow of ofautomobiles ofautomobiles ofautomobiles automobiles from trom the plantHowever plantHowever plant plantHowever However , the Supreme court IS ISexpected isexpected isexpected expected to settle settte that point pomt , very verydefinitely verydefinitely defimtel definitely , } , in m its forthcoming forthcommg decision deci decI- decISIan decision - sion SIan on the Wagner labor relatIons relatIonsact relationsact relationsact act The two cases are almost on onall onall alJ all fours The government contends contendsit It has the right to compel plants plantsengaged plantsengaged engaged in m similar production to tosubmIt tosubmit tosubmit submIt to labor regulations of the thefederal thefederal thefederal federal government The compa compa- companIes companies companies - - nies insist mSlst they are intrastate mtrastate Thedecision The ThedecIsIon Thedecision decIsIon of the court will WIlJ almost almostcertaml almostcertainly almostcertainly certaml certainly , } ' decide decJde that point pomt of con- con contentIon contention con contention - tention tentionMost Most lawyers lawyer who have studied studiedthe studiedthe studiedthe the case believe beHeve that the court will willhold willhold willhold hold the Wagner act unconstitution unconstitution- unconstitutional - . predictingthat al aI , some of them even predIctIng that the decision will be unanimous unammous unanimousIf unammousIf If that should prove true . , it will willbecome willbecome willbecome become almost certain certam that responsibility respon respon- responSIbility responsibility - sibility for handling bandImg sit down strikes strikesif strIkesl -l l -if if - if ! they are to b be handled handJed by any anygovernmental anygovernmental anygovernmental governmental power at all , , which m in mitseU inItself initself itseU Itself is highly lughJy dubIOUS-WIll dubIOUS WIll dubious - will rest restwith restwith restwith with state governments Perhaps Perhapse Perhapse\en Perhapse en e e\ e een \ en local Jocal governments governmentsA A Real MenaceDespite Menace MenaceDespite Despite all al1 reports to the con con- con- con - tr trary contrary contr lry < , the administration admmlstratlon does not notpropose notpropose notpropose propose tc attempt compulsory are ar- ar ar - bJtr bitration arbitration arebJtr ltJon < of labor Jabor disputes In the thefirst thefirst thefirst first place , the administration has hasno hasno hasno no desire to get in a knockdown knockdownand knockdownand knockdownand organisedlabor dlabor organiccdlabor and drag out fight with organiccd orgam d labor , and it If there is one subJect subjecton WilliamGreen WilhamGreen on which John L Lewis and Wilham William Green see eye to eye it is that the thewant they theywant theywant y want no compulsory arbitration arbltratlon- arbltratlon arbitration- - arbitrationleast arbltratlonleast least of all al1 from the governmentThe governmentThe government governmentThe The administration admmlstratlOn recognizes recognizcs th thseriousness the theserIousness theseriousness e serIousness of the present labor Jabor development de development . velopment hastold President Roosevelt has s heis his told members of the house that h he e is much concerned about the possi . possibilities possibilrties bilities blhtIes bilrties thathe thahe of the sit down strikes strlhes ; that tha t he illegalbut II1eealbut illepabut rcgurds reg.rds regrds regards . them not only as II1eeal illepa 1 but as a real menace to the country , . He made this admission despitethe despitthe despite despit e the kno\ kno knox knoledge \ \ ledge of every man in m the thegroup th thegroup e ! speakingthat speakinthat group to whom he was speaking speakin g that forcedGeneral torcedGeneral forceGeneral be he himself hlmseU had virtually vIrtual1y torced force d gd General Moto.s Motos . to negotiate whIle whIleSIt whit whitsit whilesit e SIt down strikers " ' ucre 'ere ere were occupying occupymg its itsplants it itplants itsplants es s plants , which action resultcdnot resultedno resulted resultcd not notonly no noonly notonly t thatbattle thabattle only in m the success of C10m C 10m I 0 in that tha t battle , . , but made its victory in m steel steeleasy stee steeeasy steeleasy 1 easy , , and started a wave of strike strikeand strIkes strIkesand strikesand s and other othf'r othfr ' labor disturbancesother disturbances m in mother mother other industriesWhat mdustriesWhat industries mdustries industriesWhat What the administration admlOutratJon , is figur figur- - figuring ing ofthe othe on is something somethmg in m the nature of o t the mediation board which has ex exfisted ex.isted existed . Isted fisted for many years for the hm han : nandling hmdlmg handung railwaymanagements dlmg dung of disputes between raIlway raihva raihvamanagements y managements Thisboard Thiboard andlorkers and i/orkers i orkers \lorkers lorkers trorkers \ / Thi This s board authorityIt has never hadany had any authOrity It mereb merely merel } sits in with the conflict confhct- confhct - ing conflicting confhcting bridgeover bridgover elements clements and seeks to bridge bridg e over the dlTc differences ! > rences by mor moril morl , il sua su suLion a Lion ( , ion suaion , VCAY vey ve , y much as Edward F Mc- Mc Mc lc- lc - - Grady , assistant secretary of labor la- la labor la labor - bor , , and other kbor lcbor lrbor officials have havebeen havebeen havebeen been dolnfc domL doing In the various str1ke strike strikesituations str1kesituations strikesituations situations outside the railroad field deld . . Await Court FightThe Fight FightThe The most the government hope hopes hopesfor hopestor I Ifor for , as os a matter of fact , , ia is lome some lomesort somesort somesort sort of agreement that there must mustbe mustbe mustbe be 30 days ' * ' notice before a ttrike strike 11 Is 11actuall Isactually Isactually actuall actually > made ettectlve-a ettectlve a effective-a effective effective - - a 10rt sort ort of ofbrcathing ofbreathing ofbreathing brcathing breathing spell treaty , so to speak speak.But speakBut . . But few believe that even this wouldwork would wouldwork wouldwork work , thinking thmking that the modern modem Idea Ideaof ideaof Ideaof of n3 nations bans making war before theyformally they theyformaJIy theyformally formaJIy formally declare it Is just as effec effec- effectivea effective - tive-a tive a tive - - a bit of tactlcs-even tactlcs even tactics-even tactics tactics - - even if U un- un unfairin unfairin un unfair - fair-in fair in fair - in labor warfare wadare as In Inter inter- international international International - - national conflictsMeanwhile confllctsMean conflicts confllcts conflictsMeanwhile Mean Meanwhile " , hlle , of course , all this la- la labor labor la-3or la 3or - - bor legislation Jegislation . , Including Includmg also the themuch themuch themuch the of the administrationfederal ad- ad admIn'stratIonfederal ad-min'stration ad min'stration minstration - - much deslred-o"l deslred o"l ol desired-o1 desired o1 desired - - o " part mIn'stratIon-federal mIn'stratIon mInstratIon federal ministration-federal ministration ' - federal regulation ofwages of ofwages ofI wages and hours , is waiting on the theoutcome theoutcome theoutcome outcome of the President's Presidents ' fight to toenlarge toenlarge toenlarge enlarge the Supreme courtIt courtIt court courtIt It would be bar ba < ? ' tactics , most NewDealers New NewDealers NewDealers Dealers believe beheve , to put any legislation legisla legIsla- legIslatIon legislation - - tion through before the high court courthas courthas courthas has its new blood transfusion To Toget Toget Toget get any part of the program accom accom- accomphshe accomplished accomplished - - plished phshe in m advance of action on the thecourt thecourt thecourt court enlargement enJargement law would , it isthought is isthought isthought thought , , take just that much steam steamout steamout steamout out from the tlle pressure tor for the court courtfighl courtfight courtfight fighl fight . This battle is tough enough enoughthe , , the New Dealers realize reallzc , Without Withoutsurrendermg withoutsurrendering withoutsurrendering surrendermg surrendering an ounce of advantage . All of which spells infinite mfinite delay delay.There delayThere . . There is no thought In the senate senateof senateof senateof of expediting expedItmg that debate . . Senator SenatorHenry SenatorHenry SenatorHenry Henry F . . Ashurst , , chairman of thesenate the thesenate thasenate senate judiciary committee , despIte despitea a complete flop to the President'sside President's Presidents President'ssIde President'sside Presidentsside ' sIde , announces he will fight any anymove anymove anymove move to invoke mvoke cloture WhIChmeans Whichmeans Which Whichmeans means that the talkers in the senate senatewill senatewill senatewill will not be restrained restramed Best estimates are that the final finalvote finalvote finalvote vote will not come before June , , evenif even evenl evenif l if ! then , which means that all the thenew thenew thenew new labor legislation , and the farmlegislatIon farmlegislation farm farmlegislation legislation as well , must wait walt wart untilafter untIl untIlafter untilafter after that Heavier Spending SpendingMuch SpendingMuch Much heavier federal spendIng spendIngwIth spendingwith spendingwith wIth higher taxes on 1937 mcomes incomes incomesboth , , both corporate and mdlvldual-de- mdlvldual de mdrvidual-de- mdrvidual mdlvldualdespite mdrvidualdespite individual - - de despite - spite the heavily increased mcreased returns returnsot returnsof returnsof ot of March 15 IS-are IS are 15-are 15 - - are definitely defirntely on the theadmml theadministration's theadministration's theadministrations admml administration's administrations trat1on's trat1ons ' ' agenda The vig- vig vigorous vigorous vig vigorous - orous disclaimers on Capitol hillthat hill hillthat hillthat that followed the insistence mSlstence of M M.S MS . S Eccles , reserve board chalrman chairman chairmanthat , that the budget must be balancedby balanced balancedby balancedby by new levies are just so much mueh eye- eye eyewash eyewash eye eyewash - wash washCongress Congress is in m a spending spendmg mood moodand moodand moodand and the administration admmlstratIon is headed headedtoward headedtoward headedtoward toward what tones tomes will call a aspendmg aspending aspending spendmg spending orgy Bitter protests ofsenators of ofsenators ofsenators senators and representatives will WI11 be becaJmed becalmed becalmed caJmed calmed by administration admmlstrahon mSlstence |