Labor Citizen

Mrs. Roosevelt, Lehman Issue Text of Statement

Text of the joint statement issued by Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt and former Sen. Herbert H. Lehman on the formation of the National Council for Industrial Peace.

For some time, we have been alarmed and concerned at the growing attack upon organized labor and industrial peace and stability under the guise of so-called "right-to-work" laws.

The recent report from California that an initiative petition for such a law has qualified and will appear on the November ballot demonstrates that the time has come for action.

It is time for all right-thinking citizens, from all walks of life, to join in protecting the nation's economy and the working man's union security from the predatory and misleading campaigns now being waged by the U. S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers.

The fact is that these laws do not guarantee any right to work. They are clearly and solely aimed at weakening the trade union movement and thus weakening the basic economy of the United States, which is built upon mass consuming power.

These laws are openly disruptive of mature, sound collective bargaining. They prohibit management and labor from signing contracts with union security clauses which are in the best interest of both the company and the workers. They are clearly injurious to industrial peace.

We are opposed to the compulsory open shop. We believe most thinking Americans, when they are aware of the facts and the truth about right-to-work laws, will oppose them. We believe the false propaganda of the proponents of these laws must be exposed and countered.

Therefore, we have formed the National Council for Industrial Peace and we have asked John M. Redding to act as its director.

We are asking our friends and those citizens of good will, in both parties, to join with us in order, initially, to combat the spread of right-to-work laws and, as a long-range goal, to protect America's economy by fostering good relations and avoiding ill will and strife between management and labor.

We shall conduct this council as a non-partisan, objective, independent organization, and we shall join hands with similar groups in various states to help achieve this goal.

We are convinced that the National Council for Industrial Peace can, and will, aid in achieving the kind of industrial society that is good for American industry, American workers and the entire American economy.