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Show Bruckart's Washington Digest Time for Showdown in Labor Situation Is Not Far Distant ! Serious Reaction Follows Attitude of NLRB; Public j Also Resentful of Conditions Caused by Union Leaders; Inquiry May Bare"Startling Facts. By WILLIAM BRUCKART VVNU Service, National Press BIdg., Washington, D. C. WASHINGTON. There is every indication that the labor situation in this country government policies, labor union policies, employer attitude atti-tude is fast approaching a new tangle. A reaction has set in on the part of the public to certain phases of the Roosevelt administration's' administra-tion's' earlier (but not necessarily the current) policies. Likewise, labor la-bor union leadership has produced certain conditions that are not finding find-ing public support, and there are still some employers who continue to make fools of themselves by following fol-lowing Eighteenth century methods. I have suggested in these columns previously that the national labor relations board was riding for a fall. It was riding too high. There was bound to be a serious reaction. The board's arrogance, unfairness, overbearing over-bearing attitude, its general contempt con-tempt for anyone disagreeing with its conclusions were elements certain cer-tain to lead to an eventual showdown. show-down. The time of that showdown seems not far distant. It is likely that the board and its staff of ism-controlled ism-controlled theorists will pay a heavy price for failure to use common sense and adopt a judicial viewpoint. view-point. . The same type of mentality as that which jeopardizes the principles princi-ples of the national labor relations act also has caused a blowup in the wages and hours division of the labor la-bor department the division which administers the year-old law limiting limit-ing hours of work and prescribing minimum wages. Administrator Elmer El-mer F. Andrews was the goat, and he had to resign. No one probably prob-ably ever will know whether it was foolhardiness on the part of Mr. Andrews An-drews or the treachery of his subordinates sub-ordinates that brought about the explosion. ex-plosion. But explode, it did; and as a result, Col. Phillip Fleming is in the job of wage and hour administrator adminis-trator without benefit of senate confirmation con-firmation of his appointment, although al-though the senate is in session. Lewis and Green Warfare Shows No Signs of Let-Up No cessation of the warfare between be-tween John L. Lewis' C. I. O. and William Green's A. F. of L., is foreseen. fore-seen. The Lewis faction of organized organ-ized labor continues to do a lot of things that do not fit into the picture of Americanism, despite a strong denial by Mr. Lewis that communists commu-nists are in key positions. Mr. Green's organization is building up a magnificent record of fighting within itself. One craft is pitted against another, here, there and everywhere, ev-erywhere, with the result that people peo-ple generally are getting pretty tired of having to wait to get work done because carpenters and bricklayers, for example, both go on strike over the question of which one shall do particular work. The unhappy labor board has few defenders, any more. For a long time, the board, its attorneys and investigators were commonly regarded re-garded as an adjunct of the Lewis labor union. Surely, there was ground for such belief by the admissions ad-missions that came from time to time, ooupled with consistent and concerted attacks by leaders of the A. F. of L. Wherever it was necessary neces-sary to make a choice between Lew-Is Lew-Is followers and Green supporters, it was an odds-on bet that the Lewis group's contention would be sustained. sus-tained. All of this was followed ultimately by an attack from the C. I. O. on the functions of the board. That happened at the annual C. I. O. convention con-vention and came from Mr. Lewis. No one seems to know the real reason. rea-son. And, now, the labor board is confronted con-fronted with an investigation by a special committee of the house of representatives. It is by far the most serious effort to bring to light the prooesses that the board has used, the influences that have been active within its personnel or that have operated upon its personnel. If one may judge in advance of any congressional inquiry, the current inquiry is likely to produce reasonable rea-sonable conclusions. Expected to Examine Facts And Then Propose a Remedy The house committee is headed by Rep. Howard Smith, a Virginia Democrat, who long has been noted for fairness. As far as his record goes, I believe it can be said that Mr. Smith has seldom been "anti" or "pro" on any question without first having facts. With him on the committee are Representatives Hea-ley Hea-ley of Massachusetts and Murdock of Arizona, Democrats, and Halleck of Indiana and Routzahn of Ohio, Republicans. Mr. Healey is about the only member of the group who can be suspected of leaning violently one way or the other. Mr. Healey's record marks him as a New Dealer on nearly all occasions, sometimes without too much reason. I have qeard Mr. Halleck praised for his fairnss any number of times in house debate, and the commendation commenda-tion has come as much from Democrats Demo-crats as from the Republicans. So, there is every indication that the investigation will be of the type that examines the facts and then proposes a remedy. Much evidence has been gathered, and will serve as the basis for further inquiry. Some of it is reported to be of a sensational character, but it is not Mr. Smith's idea that the committee commit-tee is operating solely to make newspaper headlines. Among other things, the house committee has sent out questionnaires question-naires to hundreds of employers, hundreds of labor leaders of both factions of unionism, and local officials, offi-cials, such as police chiefs and others oth-ers charged with law enforcement. The purposes of the questions are rather obvious. With the statements from all of these sources, the committee com-mittee believes it can sift out much chaff from rumors, complaints, counter charges and propaganda. Further, the committee wants to ascertain as-certain whether there is evidence that the board, itself, had any connection con-nection with labor disturbances and, if so, which of its personnel was involved. in-volved. May Uncover Facts That Will Startle Legislators Copies of records in nearly all of the board's hearings are being examined ex-amined by the committee staff. Board decisions have been under fire many, many times. It seems to have been the rule, rather than an exception, that the board was willing always to listen to C. I. O. attorneys and almost never pay attention at-tention to alleged facts which employers em-ployers or others tried to submit. From this source, alone, there is every reason to believe the committee com-mittee will uncover enough abuse of power to stun the legislators who fought for passage of a law which the administration described as perfect. per-fect. In any event, if the principle of the labor relations act is to survive sur-vive and become a workable part of governmental interference in relations rela-tions between worker and employer, employ-er, it seems that the Smith comit-tee comit-tee must produce the proper basis. Concerning the wages and hours bureaucracy, however, there is less optimism that a sound solution can be found. Colonel Fleming is taking tak-ing over the job with feeling among all types of partisans at fever heat. That is a handicap. Mr. Andrews went in with wishes of good luck, but he had to administer and enforce en-force a law that was loosely drawn, a principle untried. As in the case of labor board personnel, either through his own mistakes or because be-cause nutty individuals were forced upon him, Mr. Andrews immediately immediate-ly was surrounded by a sour group of subordinates. It seemed almost that if a wrong way to solve the problem was available, the wage and hour division folks would find it. As far as I can ascertain, Colonel Fleming has had only the minimum of experience in dealing with such principles and problems as now face him. . His status is rather indefinite, because the law requires that the appointment of a wages and hours administrator shall be confirmed by the senate, as a policy making official. offi-cial. But Mr. Roosevelt had asked congress to consider only the so-called so-called neutrality legislation at the extra session, and hence he did not submit Colonel Fleming's name. Another Army Officer Takes Job Outside Military Work Colonel Fleming is the third army officer to take over a job outside of the military service, lately. First, there was CoL F. C. Harrington, who was made head of the WPA; secondly, Brigadier General Watson was made Mr. Roosevelt's secretary, secreta-ry, and lastly, there came the appointment ap-pointment of Colonel Fleming. It is rather hard to forecast how an army officer is going to deal with one particular part of the job now undertaken by Colonel Fleming Flem-ing application of the law to certain cer-tain types of farm labor and to businesses busi-nesses directly connected with farming. farm-ing. A number of organizations, affiliated af-filiated directly or indirectly, with farm operations have been engaged in a do-or-die struggle here in Wash ington with Mr. Andrews. I think the mere change in headship of the wage and hour division is not likely to quiet those people, because the increase in wages that became effective ef-fective October 24 represents the difference dif-ference between profit and loss in most instances. Probably, the seers who invented the idea of federal control of wages and hours never milked a cow after dark or husked corn on a frosty morning. These con-ditions con-ditions were not of the making of Colonel Fleming, but his is the task of attempting to reconcile an inflexible inflexi-ble law with conditions that vary in every county in the United States. If he can succeed, some political party ought to nominate him as its presidential candidate next year. |