ON THE VERGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 68, 21 March 1934, Page 7

ON THE VERGE.

LABOUR UPHEAVAL.

STRIKES IN AMERICA.

Roosevelt Faces Most Serious Crisis. s 1 CAR INDUSTRY AND RAILWAYS < (United P.A.-Electrlc Telegraph—Copyright) ] i (Received 2 p.m.) WASHINGTON, March 20. ' The officials who are administering ; tho National Recovery Act are faced , with threats of two big strikes : ill what may be described as the most ! serious Labour crisis President Roosevelt has encountered yet. The American Federation of Labour I has definitely called a general strike in tho motor industry for Wednesday unless the manufacturers accede to their' demands. The railway owners and tho union brotherhoods have exchanged ultimata over the proposed cuts in wages. The motor trade controversy centres upon the interpretation of the collective bargaining clause of the Recovery Act. The leaders of the Federation of Labour are insisting that the workers have not had a free opportunity to choose between their own organisations and the so-called company unions. On the other hand, the employers' association flatly insists that it is willing to allow the workers to organise independently, but will never recognise or negotiate with the Federation of Labour. The strike call is expected to involve 250,000 workers. It comes at a most critical time for the industry. With a flood of orders for motor ears awaiting fulfilment, a stoppage now will seriously retard the progress of the motor and co-relatcd industries. Reports from Detroit state that the city is on edge. The Federation of Labour, which hitherto has not represented the motor industry, is making elaborate plans for strike strategy. The Detroit City Council has petitioned Mr. Roosevelt to use his good offices to settle the dispute, pointing out the serious consequences of a strike. The railways dispute,is less acute, but more fundamental. The owners offered to withdraw the 15 per cent cut if the unionists agreed to an extension of the existing 10 per cent cut. This was flatly refused, and the owners then issued a counter-ultimatum to force the 15 per cent cut. Should this be attempted a general • strike appears to be inevitable, but not imminent, as it will be a considerable time before the present agreement expires. Roosevelt Intervenes. President Roosevelt to-day intervened in the labour disputes, calling for "delay strike" action in the automobile industry pending conferences with the manufacturers and the union leaders with him in an effort to reconcile existing difficulties.

Mr. Green, of the American Federation of Labour, immediately urged the union leaders to accept.'

The President also warned the railway disputants that it might be necessary for him to appoint a commission of inquiry.

Meanwhile the Federal Government has fi'ed an equity suit against Weirton Steel Company charging violations of the N.I.R.A. code, particularly the labour provisions.

Other labour difficulties reached a climax to-day in Philadelphia, where a boycott caused the collapse of the N'.I.R.A. supervised union elections in the Budd Manufacturing Company plant to determine union representations for the purpose of collective bargaining. Though 6000 persons were eligible to vote only 11 cast ballots, the reason being that employees were required to sign their names to voting papers.

AID BUSINESS MEN. MORATORIUM DECLARED. (Received 2.30 p.m.) BISMARCK (X. Dakota), March 20. Governor Langer to-day proclaimed a moratorium on the obligations of business men to their creditors. The moratorium, which will expire on July 15, declares that it is unlawful to levy upon, or attach for debt any stock, merchandise, shop, equipment, furniture or fixtures. The Governor also declared it unlawful to oust the owner from a farm until ho had a "full opportunity to secure the benefits of the Act of Congress relating to refinancing farms."