Read the following excerpt from a federal statute passed in 1943:
"The power of the President... to take immediate possession of any plant, mine, or facility... shall also include the power to take immediate possession of any plant, mine, or facility, equipped for the manufacture, production, or mining of any articles or materials which may be required for the war effort... whenever the President finds... that there is an interruption of the operation of such plant, mine, or facility as a result of a strike or other labor disturbance."
— War Labor Disputes (Smith-Connally) Act, June 25, 1943
Which of the following developments during World War II was the most direct cause of the legislation excerpted above?
- The escalation of wildcat strikes and labor disputes that threatened wartime industrial productionCevap
- BAn effort by the federal government to expand New Deal labor protections and guarantee wage increases for industrial workers
- CA shift in congressional policy toward laissez-faire economics to reduce federal regulation of private businesses
- DThe attempt by isolationist members of Congress to restrict the production of military goods destined for foreign allies
Cevap
The escalation of wildcat strikes and labor disputes that threatened wartime industrial production
The correct answer is correct because during World War II, the federal government prioritized maximum industrial production to supply the military. Although major labor unions agreed to a voluntary 'no-strike' pledge, rising cost of living and wage caps imposed by the National War Labor Board led to wildcat strikes, particularly in the coal mining industry. The Smith-Connally Act was passed by Congress in response to these disruptions, authorizing the president to seize strike-threatened industries to maintain continuous production.
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Anahtar Kavram
World War II mobilization, federal regulation of labor, and domestic home-front tensions.