"When the Time Comes . . ."

THE PRESIDENCY

Organized labor has blown hot and cold on President Johnson during the course of his long political career. When he first came to Congress as a New Dealing Texas Democrat, labor's leaders loved him. But then, under the Truman Administration, he voted for the Taft-Hartley Act, and the unionists neither forgave nor forgot; in 1960 Johnson was the only major candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination who was opposed by Big Labor, and Walter Reuther protested volubly against Johnson's being named Kennedy's running mate. But by last week labor had come full circle -- almost.

Appearing before 12,000 United Auto Workers in Atlantic City, the President was in fine fettle. "We are going to pass a civil rights bill," he cried, "if it takes all summer. We are going to pass a medical assistance bill for the aged no matter how many months it takes." He reaffirmed his dedication to the war on poverty in America: "So long as I am President and as long as Walter Reuther heads the United Auto Workers, the terms of this war are unconditional surrender." And he made a forthright political pitch: "Give me your heart and your voice and your vote, and stand up with me and be counted."

But Johnson also had an admonition to labor. Said he: "We must not choke off our needed and our speedy economic expansion by a revival of the price-wage spiral." Then he turned upon labor the very same words that President Kennedy had used against industry after the dramatic 1962 steel crisis: "We can and must, under the responsibility given to us by the Constitution, and by statute and by necessity, point out the national interest. And, where applica ble, we can and must and will enforce the law on restraints of trade and national emergencies " When he finished, he stood smiling and waving in response to a storm of applause. But some of Big Labor's most powerful leaders were much less enthusiastic about his speech and about a 3.2% wage-boost guideline laid down by his Administration. Growled A.F.L.C.I.O. President George Meany: "If we go down this road far enough, it leads to the end of free collective bargaining. I don't propose that labor at any time agree to go down this road." U.A.W. President Reuther made it quite clear that he has not changed his mind about demanding at least a 4.9% wage hike this year.

The President had uttered stern words that might indeed burn for a time in labor's ears. But the fact was that in November, U.S. labor leaders will have little choice but to fall in behind him. Raymond Fahey, president of the International Union of Operating Engineers' Buffalo local, summed it up: "When the time comes, we'll go out and do everything we can for Johnson."

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