Sacrifices & Peace

Tired of being the whipping boy of a lagging national defense program, last week labor rose to protest. Cried President William Green, the A. F. of L. stood "four square in support of the national defense program. We commit ourselves to avoid strikes. . . . We are ready to make any reasonable and necessary sacrifices. . . ."

Philip Murray, president of C. I. O., not only spoke in labor's defense, he cracked back. Said he: "Too many heads of industry are approaching the national-defense job as one great opportunity to roll Up astourding profits. . . ." Production lagged, he declared, because of the way it was being distributed and administered. Out of 10,000 plants available, only 30% had received Government contracts.

Murray, who has long wanted U. S. industry run by management-labor councils, further proposed a plan for a new National Defense Board. His plan would set up such councils in each of the major defense industries. Their duties: to coordinate production facilities, see that they are put to full use; to hustle the unemployed back to work; to promote industrial peace.

President Roosevelt, busy with his own plans for reorganizing national defense, made no comment. But at week's end labor's Green & Murray were invited to an early conference at the White House.

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