Show The Wagner V Act SHOULD TIlE THE PERSONNEL OF THE TIlE I BOARD BE CHANGED There Thero has been considerable criticism of ot the present personnel of ot the Na Na- National National National Labor Relations Board This is trot not surprising in view of ot the great number of conflicting interests which it has been their duty to reconcile Nor Noris Noris is it strange in view of ot the newness of ot the Act and the many problems which have havo come up for tor the first time I No person who has conscientiously I studied the decisions of the tho Board can honestly hon say that the Board has been prejudiced Against employers it has only enforced the tho law Jaw As between one labor organization and another it has en en- endeavored endeavored endeavored to protect the honest rights of ot all truly independent unions All persons persona are entitled to criticize the tho Board Boord Every union Is free tree If it chooses to do so so to urge that certain rules adopted by the Board be changed Beyond this it is unnecessary to go Changes in the administration of ot the law should not be sought by changes in inthe tho the personnel of ot the Board To open I the question of ot changes in personnel just as to suggest is to run the tho risk that persons actually danger danger- dangerous i ous to organized labor may be appointed to tho the Board and may embark on a pro pro- program program program gram favorable to Big Business and de destructive de- de destructive I to tho the labor movement In this connection notice should be betaken betaken taken of ot the accusation that some of or i tho the trial examiners employed by the Board are not qualified for their positions I I that the Act should set forth their qualifications and that It should be I possible to file me affidavits of prejudice against them when they are considered i unfair Accusations against the best of ot examiners will frequently be made by parties who lose cases regardless of ot stan stan- standards standards standards dards which may be established It would be bo a mistake to embody too many i technical qualifications such as any re requirement re- re requirement that examiners must bo be at at- attorneys attorneys attorneys 1 since many of ot the tho characteristics re-j re which make a good examiner for ex example ex- ex example ample amplo a sincere interest in problems of labor relations cannot be measured ex exactly ex- ex exactly but must be bo judged on perform Perform- performance ance The Tho Board has had a difficult problem In and creating training an organization for tor tho administration of an act which raised many completely new problems I of or law and procedure The solution of tho the problem has required some time but persons really acquainted with the tho work of ot tho the Board know that its staff of ot ex examiners ex- ex examiners field agents directors and at attorneys at- at attorneys is already In all probability the nt-I nt most competent honest and devoted group of people who have ever been gathered together in any government agency Friends of ot the law should not ally themselves with reactionary interests by advocating which could but hamper the Board In the excellent h 1 J 1 job lob it is 15 doing in building up its or organization or- or SHOULD CONGRESS SS INVESTIGATE IN IN TilE THE BOARD BO As M a means of ot building up a case cose against the tha Act and the Board enemies of labor and opponents of the principles for which labor stands have frequently urged that Congress should undertake a general investigation of ot the work which has hILS been done by tho Board I For this purpose they paint a n picture of or bias and prejudice on the part of ot the Board against employers and against I some labor organizations In favor tavor of ot others As has been explained d all these charges are completely unfounded I The purpose Is to provide an excuse to meddle Into the affairs of or the Board and to Investigate its records in the hope of ot discovering things which can be used I as a n basis for tor further agitation The main purpose however Is to obstruct the work I of or the Board and consume consumo its time and energy for tor the Boards Board's enemies really know that their search and seizure will yield them nothing of ot any consequence No person can object to honest Investigations Investigations investigations by Congress which are designed to remedy real evils eVIls but the purpose behind tho the investigations of the Board which have been proposed and which will continue to be proposed by reaction reaction- reactionaries reactionaries reactionaries aries is precisely the opposite The pur pur- purpose purpose purpose pose of ot such investigations is to lay the ground work ork for a general campaign of ot amendment and for tor a broad attack on tho the labor movement as a whole Friends of the Act should not be deceived on this score I I I I I I i I i I I i The real reason for the attack upon the Act and the Board Is that during the next few tew months some of ot the most powerful corporations in the country will find themselves under court orders preventing the unfair labor practices of I which they have been guilty for years After Arter the Law was passed In the sum sum- summer summer summer mer of ot 1935 these corporations pretended I to to consider It unconstitutional and de- de fled tied it for tor nearly two years until the I Supreme Court upheld it in the spring sp pf pt 1937 Since that time they have Ignored and deliberately violated the law They have protracted proceedings to the point where some provisions of the Act might have been rendered un un- unworkable unI unworkable I workable except for tor the expert admin admin- administration administration administration of ot the Board They have con con- conducted conducted conducted ducted campaigns of ot falsehood and dis distortion dis- dis against the law and the Board They have hoped that the enforcement enforce ent of ot the Act could thus be broken down I This effort while it has resulted in fn a aI I and violent struggle be between be- be bej between j tween labor and reactionary employers has now failed and the Supreme Court has made it clear that the decisions of ot I Ithe the Board are correct constitutional and i iI subject to enforcement by the Federal judiciary I I In this situation there Is nothing for tor reactionary Big Dig Business to do except to i force force amendments at the next session of ot Congress which will make the law I protect Big Business Instead of labor This is the real truth behind the propaganda pro pro- propaganda propaganda I for amendment I Ij j l Trade unionists and other e progressive I people who support the movement for tor i changes in the law are lending them them- themselves them them-I themselves selves to the tho purposes of ot the most dan dan- dangerous dangerous dangerous and reactionary interests in the country I WHAT SHOULD BE E DONE ABOUT A OUT I TilE THE MATTER There is one positive thing which I labor and all progressive groups ought to try to accomplish in support of ot the I Board and the Act at the next session of ot Congress They should try to get a much larger appropriation for the Board The Board has been seriously handi- handi handicapped I j capped in all its work by inadequate funds It has been unable to dispose I lof of ot cases as rapidly as ILS it might because its stall staff has been to small to carry the I tremendous load of work thrown upon it by the defiant attitude of ot many em em- employers emI players Certain individuals and groups pre pre- pretending pretendIng pretending I tending to speak for labor have gone so far tar as to recommend that the Act be amended to require elections to be i iI conducted within thirty days from the I I filing ruing of ot a petition and all cases to be I decided within forty five days after the close of ot a II hearing Sponsors of ot such j amendments reveal a sorry ignorance of ot I the Law and of ot the complex problems in involved In- In Involved involved in cases arising under the Act J Testimony in some of these cases has run into tens of ot thousands of ot pages all of which must be studied carefully eo so that final decisions will stand up in Inthe inthe the tho courts court This cannot be done if It arbi arbi- arbitrary arbitrary arbitrary lines deal-lines are arc to be drawn If It such critics were really sincere they would be bo out o t fighting for t r more money for tor the Board so that It could hire a I larger staff and get Its work done faster taster At the last session of ot Congress Big Business made a determined effort to I reduce even the small appropriation which the Board applied for At the next session this situation ought to be bere re reversed re creed and friends of the Act ought to make a a. well-planned well and effective campaign resulting In at least double tho present appropriation If It this can be bo done many of ot the Boards Board's difficulties will be ended Aside from this positive step progressive sive people should Insist that there be beno beno beno no changes in the Act or the Board and no meddlesome inquiries into the work of or the Board For this purpose they should communicate with their representatives In Congress and discuss S the matter with them thoroughly j Personal contact should be made with each Congressman by persons living in his Congressional district The local ot- ot office of office I fice of ot Labors Labor's Partisan Non-Partisan League can supply his name and address to those who do not know them If It there Is no local office of ot Labors Labor's Partisan Non-Partisan League Lea Lea- League gue voters should write directly to the national office of ot the League at the Earle Earlo Building Washington D D. D C C. Where Congressmen live at some dis die distance distance tance tame they can be communicated with by letter The same is true of ot Senators who often orten live In another part of ot the state After Congress has convened in January contact can con be kept with Sena Sens- Senators Senators tors and Congressmen by mall and tele tele- telegram gram This should be bo done throughout the tho session whenever an Important issue affecting the National Labor Relations Act or tho the Board Boord arises Only in this way can members of ot Congress be kept fully tully Informed of ot the attitude of their constituents F F. L L. WHITE WInTE ROBERT BUNTING WM DEJONGHE DEJONG HE Publicity Committee |