RIGHT TO STRIKE DEFENDED

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25129, 10 March 1947, Page 7

RIGHT TO STRIKE DEFENDED

Claim for Unions InU.S.

STATEMENTS BY

MR LEWIS (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 8 pan.) WASHINGTON, Mar. 8. “When the right to strike is limited or taken away from American workers, the form of govemmeht in America is changed.” said Mr John L. Lewis, president of the United Mine Workers, when 1 testifying before the Senate Labour Committee. “The only difference between serfdom and freedom is the right of a voluntary contract. Take away or limit the right to strike in America and you turn the clock back to the Middle Ages; you strike down freedom and substitute an absolute form of government” Mr Lewis criticised all the major Labour bills 'now before the Senate, and said that the way to industrial peace lay through the acceptance by "big business" of collective bargaining in conformity with the existing legislation. “The demand to control and regiment labour, if enacted into law. will lead to bureaucratic control and the regimentation of business also,” added Mr Lewis. “It will destroy our free enterprise system and lead straight down the road to a Socialistic, bureaucratic State."

Pending Action Mr Lewis, asked by the chairman, Senator Robert A. Taft, whether he had any suggestions for preventing a miners’ strike, replied: “No, I have not. That is a matter of litigation before the Court." (Mr Lewis was referring to the action pending in the Federal Court to decide whether he possesses the right to terminate the union’s contract with the Government as the operator of the mines.) Mr Lewis added that he did not know whether the miners would strike when the Government relinquished control of the mines on June 30. The effect of the recent Government intrusion had been to arrest collective bargaining. The Government was now acting as a “muscle man” for the coal companies, which were making a clear profit of about 1,000,000 dollars each working day. Mr Lewis engaged in a lively exchange with Senator Taft when the •senator implied that Mr Lewis dictated the union policy. ‘"Hie question is whether you can tie up the whole country because you and the coal employers cannot agree," said Senator Taft. Mr Lewis: No one could be induced to strike if he did not want to. Senator Taft: But it is practically up to you to decide what your union does. % Laughter swept the committee room when Mr Lewis retorted: “I wonder at you saying that, senator. I, too, have read in the newspapers that you are pushing the Republican Party round and making all the decisions?’

Mr Lewis said that Senator Taft’s father, late Chief Justice Taft, in one of his judgments held that strikes were lawful and necessary to win a share of the joint produce of labour and capital. ' "It would be hyprocisy to concede these rights to Labour and then prohibit their effective exercise,” commented Mr Lewis. “America is the only great country in which economic freedom still exists.” Mr Lewis said it was the first duty of Congress to conserve “this priceless heritage.” _ Attacking proposed compulsory arbitration, Mr Lewis said this would be the first thrust of the knife of absolutism into the heart of free America. Mr Lewis told the committee that the miners’ differences with the operators could be settled if the Government would “cease using the blackjack.” Discussing the proposed labour legislation, Mr Lewis contended that to Brohibit the closed shop would be to ivite economic chaos in labour relations and to make the unions liable to damage suits by the employers which “might destroy every Labour organisation in America.” Referring to proposed limitation on national bargaining thereby localising labour disputes, Mr Lewis said that it was a flagrant restriction on the workers’ legitimate rights. It was a red herring to divert public attention from the real monopoly created by the corporations during and since the war. Mr Lewis said there was nothing wrong with the coal industry except the ill-treatment given to the miners. Replying to Senator Claude Pepper, Mr Lewis said that the only power he had with the miners was moral suasion. "The miners believe I won’t sell them out,” said Mr Lewis. “I work for them. I’m their agent. They pay me, keep me in good clothes and buy my cigars but I’m careful to say those things the miners want me to say?’ Replying to Senator Joseph Ball, who suggested that unless the right to strike were limited by legislation, compulsory arbitration or nationalisation of industries Vtould be inevitable, Mr Lewis said that such fearsome things could be kept away by simply giving the miners fair treatment and thereby eliminating the incentive to strike.