| Show ECONOMIC highlights since last november there has I 1 been it a larger monthly average total I 1 lof ot strikes than at any ally other period in the count rys history with the exception ot of 1917 says the united states news prom from november through may exactly 2323 strikes I 1 have occurred they have struck 44 ot of the 48 states north dakota and new mexico being the exceptions As Is to be expected they have been most numerous in sections of the country where industrial development Is highest michigan new york new england california they have been least numerous in the agricultural states iowa kansas nebraska etc even so there la Is nothing unique in III tile the number of strikes that have occurred in recent months the world war years provide a numerical parallel however as the U S news also points out there is a vast and fundamental difference in the demands tile the strikers are making today as compared to those they in made ado in 1917 in practically all pre strikes labor demanded higher wages or shorter working weeks the closed shop was rarely a vital issue today the primary demand of strikers is the closed shop in many instances union demands for higher wages and shorter work weeks havo have been met by industry but strikes have continued because employers refused to grant the closed shop this is obviously a vital change in labors attitude altitude furthermore it has been accompanied by the entry of 0 labor into politics on an unprecedented ce scale the A E F ot of L I 1 tor for instance used to keep absolutely ily clear of political partisanship yet before the last election A F ot of L s president green and other high I 1 officials came out strongly in favor of the reelection of mr roosevelt and john L lewis head of A F of L s rival the CIO is a strong roosevelt backer and was a major 10 contributor to the democratic campaign fund ire ile is likewise a strong influence in several of the major industrial states notably pennsylvania and michigan it is his belief that the labor movement if it Is to be successful must be permanently and aggressively involved in politic this unprecedented situation has caused a definite cleavage of opinion over labor and its desires and activities it Is the general opinion among employers for instance that the great issue of the hour is whether labor is to run by proxy the government the labor union executives and the liberal and radical publications ahat hat side with labor feel that direct action is essential and that such strategy as the sit down strikes and the demand tor for a per cent closed shop where no nonunion non union man may work is necessary it if labor Is to receive its fair share of Indu earnings one thing Is certain labor is moro more powerful today than ever in the past in the nineteen years ending in 1932 less than 30 per cent of strikes ended with labor winning its demands last year more than 40 per cent of strikes culminated in unequivocal victories for the strikers while in 36 per cent cen t more labor received part of its demand As every student of history knows recovery from a depression breeds strikes this was true after the depressions of 1884 1891 1907 etc however today the issues are deeper and different and present strikes cannot be accurately compared with those of previous decades it Is also true that for the tha first time in our history the federal government has attempted to solve the problem through legislation the wagner act creating the national labor relations board admittedly the wagner act is one sided it puts responsibilities of many kinds upon employers and few upon labor the supreme court spoke of this fact in upholding the act but said there was nothing in the constitution to prevent congress from passing a one sided law so tar far the wagner mer act has certainly failed in preventing strikes but in fairness to the act it should bo be recorded that thai it has seldom been invoked in the recent steel strikes str ikea for instance dt was not brought into force As a result the adequacy of the act remains in question and Is yet to be proved general opinion holds that the act must be extensively revised it if it is to achieve real success |
