Statement by the President Upon Reactivating the National Labor-Management Panel.

THE STATE of labor-management relations, with occasional exceptions, appears pointed steadily in the direction of greater maturity and responsibility. There is an evident new willingness on the part of both sides in our industrial life to solve disputes peacefully.

In order to help promote this welcome trend, I have decided to reactivate the National Labor-Management Panel authorized by the Labor-Management Relations Act of 1947 (the Taft-Hartley Act). The act established a National Labor-Management Panel to be composed of six "outstanding" persons each from labor and management. The duty of the Panel, according to the act, is to work in an advisory capacity with the Director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service "in the avoidance of industrial controversies and the manner in which mediation and voluntary adjustment (of disputes) shall be administered, particularly with reference to controversies affecting the general welfare of the country."

One such panel was appointed by President Truman early after the act was enacted, some 16 years ago, but in recent years the panel has been inactive. I now feel that a National Labor-Management Panel could very well, as the Congress intended, become a useful tool in making industrial peace more certain and secure.

In these views, I have the support of the President's Advisory Committee on Labor-Management Policy. I expect this group, made up of distinguished members of management, labor, the public, and the Government, to continue its fruitful work. I expect the new Panel to perform a separate but coordinated advisory function. In fact, the President's Advisory Committee has itself recommended the reactivation of the separate National Labor-Management Panel. I have therefore appointed the following distinguished representatives to serve on the National Labor-Management Panel for the terms specified, the law requiring staggered terms of service:

Labor

To serve for a 3-year term: Cornelius J. Haggerty, President, Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO, Washington, D.C.; Leonard Woodcock, Vice President, International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, Detroit, Mich.

For a 2-year term: Thomas E. Harris, Associate General Counsel, AFL-CIO, Washington, D.C.; Jesse C. McGlon, General Vice President, International Association of Machinists (AFL-CIO), Atlanta, Ga.

For a 1-year term: John H. Lyons, Jr., President, International Association of Bridge, Structural and Ornamental Iron Workers (AFL-CIO), St. Louis, Mo.; Marvin J. Miller, Special Assistant to the President, United Steelworkers of America (AFL-CIO), Pittsburgh, Pa.

Management

For a 3-year term: Gerry E. Morse, Vice President-Industrial Relations, Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Co., Minneapolis, Minn.; J. Paul St. Sure, President, Pacific Maritime Association, San Francisco, Calif.

For a 2-year term: Wayne T. Brooks, Director of Industrial Relations, Wheeling Steel Corporation, Wheeling, W. Va.; J. Curtis Counts, Manager, Employee Relations, Douglas Aircraft Company, Inc., Santa Monica, Calif.

For a 1-year term: Joseph V. Cairns, Director of Industrial Relations, Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio; Jesse Freidin, Poletti and Freidin, New York City (counsel to various employers and employer groups).

Director William E. Simkin of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service informs me of his intent to call the Panel together for an early organizational meeting so it may begin its special advisory responsibility in the important labor-management field.