~o ~U il1tmfilHJ5 of the United States Merchant Marine, their grateful and appreciative fellow countrymen extend thanks for tasks nobly performed, and the hope that this gratitude may take the practical form of desired legislation that will be of active benefit long after Christmas 1945 has becolTIe a memory. ~(l tfJo~e wf)o, on Christmas Day, are on the wide sea, far from the war.:nth of home fires and the sound of church bells, our hearts go out in love and longing for their speedy and safe return from the unselfish task of expediting the homecoming of absent serv~ce men and vo;TOlnen. ~ij tbO;5£ muo have made port in foreign lands, we send the hope that at the hearths of those whom we used to think of as "strangers," they may find the welcome and cheer that will prove that there are indeed no "strangers," but that all of us mortals here on earth for a brief span are of one family. ~lI)! tbiDl5£ W!JOSf ships are anchored in home ports, we ex­ tend the wish that this first Christmastide after Victory may find them either in surroundings made familiar by long association, or in the family circle with those they love, gladdened by the knowledge that those haunting lines have at last come true: "Home is the sailor, home from sea, "And the hunter home from the hi77." :TheMaster~ Mate and Pilot '£ Official Journal of the National Org<lnization of Masters, Mates iJnd Pilots of America. Published by thO' Orgll.ni:z:/I;tion on the 15th of ftacb 4 month at 8[0·16 Rhode Island Ave., N. E., Washington 18, D. C. VOL. VIII DECEMBER, 1945 No. 12 i Labor-Industry Now Face Vital Issues Washington Conference, Hitherto Marked By Evasions and Unwillingness to Get Down to Brass Tacks, at Last Seems to be Waking to the Urgency of the Problems Con­ fronting Them; Leaders Plan to Speed Discussions of Major Issues THE Labor-Management Conference which is now That the conference has so far made no progress , in session in Washington as the December, 1945 is disappointing to those optimists who tended to 1 edition of MASTER, MATE AND PILOT goes to press has regard it as a sort of millenium, or a point at which : not, as yet, come to any conclusive understanding all parties would obtain their hearts' desires and 'j upon a single one of the postwar problems with after which all would be sweetness and harmony. -} which they are now confronted. In fact, Dr. George W. Taylor, secretary to the con­ ';' Spokesmen for management have announced that ference, admitted that any report as to progress made by any committee toward any point of pro­ i g industry's IS-man delegation is arranging a COID­ <4 plete statement of its position upon all major ques­ vision for machinery to settle disputes after col­ ':i;4 tions that will be presented to the conference in the lective bargaining failed was completely lacking, near future with the objective, as stated by Presi­ and that no proposals had been made for arbitra­ dent Ira Mosher of the National Association of tion or for "any machinery at all" in the event of a ~1, Manufacturers, of "shoving things along a little." breakdown of negotiations. '~ This forthcoming statement was described by Presi­ There are, however, indications, that certain ;1 dent Eric Johnson of the U. S. Chamber of Com- groups are sufficiently aware of the importance of merce as "the first coordinating declaration by a the responsibility with which they have been en­ '1 major segment of American industry on employer­ trusted to initiate a drive that .would impel the ap­ .,~ employe relations," or in other words, a uclarifica­ propriate working committees to consider the basic ,J tion" of the controversial resolution offered by CIO and most difficult problem by making concrete pro­ '1 President Phillip Murray shortly after the Confer­ posals on voluntary arbitration of fact-finding sys­ 'J ence opened. This resolution, that to date has not tems which would have the last word in deciding '.4 been acted upon, calls for immediate collective bar- labor disputes. gaining between business and unions within the It is time the conference members got down to framework of President Truman's wage-price mes­ brass tacks. sage calling for wage increases generally to offset At this point it is interesting to recall certain re­ the workers' loss of high wartime earnings. marks that were made by AFL President Green on So far, however, the conference has failed to come the opening day of the conference when, in a power­ to grips with its basic problems, and that the execu­ ful appeal for constructive action, he proposed a 4 tive council is fully aware of this is evident from four-point program including more scientific collec­ their recent proposal to "integrate" the' work of tive bargaining, development of union-management , other committees and to stop backing away from the cooperation, improvement in the U. S. Conciliation " real issues. Service, and the extension of voluntary arbitration. 1 The issue of greatest importance, and the real ob- The key to union-management harmony, he de­ ~;1 jective of the conference, is the provision of a system clared, must be collective bargaining, which does not 'I.. or an instrumentality to settle disputes when direct mean Ugiving mere lip service to that abstract prin­ . negotiations and conciliation have failed. This issue, ciple. I mean ... willingness on both sides ... de.­ , while never clearly and concisely stated so that itS termination, to approach the bargaining table with j meaning is apparent to all, is nevertheless upper­ an open mind, an appreciation of what is on the s ,1 most in the public mind. It was the administration's other side of that table, and with a firm resolve to . plea to leave the consideration of disputes legisla­ reach an agreement fairly." 'j tion to the Labor-Management Conference for dis- Lacking this, Mr. Green called for a willingness :,.;',.! cussion that induced Congress to postpone consid­ on both sides to use impartial machinery to reach .. , eration of the matter. decisions based ov facts. In insisting that the conference confine its delih­ erations to the seven points in the agenda seeking President Green, Exeeutive methods by wbich industrial strifes can be reduced Council Members, Pledge AFL to a minimum, warning that any attempt to inject current wage disputes or controversial legislation Aid to World War's Vie-tims into the proceedings, would make the failure of the conference a foregone conclusion. Mr. Green dis­ The four grim horsemen of the Apacolypse, war, played his characteristic foresightedness and an famine, pestilence and death, are riding again over astuteness that has been sharpened by experience. ravaged Europe. Their helpless victims writhe moaning beneath their merciless hooves. It is to be hoped that sober consideration will be accorded Mr. Green's remarks, and every precau­ IJ:eeding the call of the American Federation of tion taken to guard against reaching the kind of Labor and other progressive groups, President Tru­ stalemate that made an inglorious end to the recent man has appealed to the nation to come to the relief of our less fortunate neighbors across the Atlantic. London conference. The shadows of death are deepening over Europe. Soon the continent will be winter-bound. Millions of families, millions of children, face a crisis. Hunger is already stalking through Europe. The "30-Hour-Week Eventually, Why people who fought side by side with us in the war, the people whom we helped to liberate, are desperate. Not Now?" Asks Sen. MeCarran In these countries, ruined by war and fascist pil­ lage, the survival of thousands of men, women and children depends on our decision. The American "The time to repair the barn roof is when the sun people must realize that help from us will not only is shining. It's too late after the rain begins to pour." save lives but also shape the future of democracy That is why Senator Pat McCarran (Dem., Nev.) in the world and the future of America itself in the has introduced a 30-hour-week bill for Federal em­ years to come. ployes. Local 3, I. B. E. W., has had the 3D-hour President Truman said "We must help to the week since August 20, 1937. limits of our strength-and we will." That was a "Unless we prepare the ground for a 3D-hour work promise. It is up to us to keep it. It is up to us to week before big unemployment hits us," McCarran discharge our moral obligation toward those who declared, "we may have to fight a long and bitter have no one else to look to for assistance. battle in the midst of an emergency, and it may be This winter is the real test. Crops cannot be another story of 'too little and too late.' grown in the winter. In most of the European con­ "Early in the last depression, I had the privilege tinent, transportation facilities have been wrecked of helping Hugo Black, then Senator from Alabama or have broken down. Fuel is practically unobtain­ and now a Supreme Court Justice, put through the able and medicine is scarce. Senate a bill providing a 3D-hour week for all work­ What we must do is to provide enough food and ers. supplies to prevent starvation and hold the epi­ "That bill was held up in the House while the NRA demics from decimating the people of Europe again.