LABOR: Object Lesson

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Labor unionists who are attracted by the device of Government seizure of industry last week had a bitter object lesson to ponder.

In August 1950, the President seized the nation's railroads to prevent a strike. Four months later, the policy boards of the four brotherhoods involved—the trainmen, conductors, engineers and firemen—rejected a settlement proposed by Presidential Assistant John R. Steelman. Truman accused the union officials of acting like a bunch of Russians. He stayed mad.

The trainmen settled a year ago, but the other three unions held out until last week. What they agreed to (increases from 22½¢ to 37¢ an hour) was essentially what Steelman had proposed nearly two years ago.

Said a union statement: "There are no better alternatives under one-sided Government seizure [and] rule by labor injunction." A few days later Truman turned the roads back to their owners, who had, in fact, been running them all through the period of "seizure."