The Washington times., 1936-08-24

forced suspension Of the Seattle
acknowledgement by strong-arm
mob recruited by labor racketeerS
is sweeping through the State of
Washington and is reflected in
vigorous editorials in papers
throughout the State.
With remarkable unanimity,
the editorial comment upholds
the vital constitutional principle
Of the freedom of the press
which, 1t is pointed out, is seri-
ously jeopardized by the act Of
mob violence which closed down
Seattle's Oldest newspaper.
Blocked Printers
The Post-Intelligencer has not
published since August Is when
hundreds of longshoremen, team
Sters and loggers surrounded the
newspaper plant following
walkout of a handful Of minor
editorial employees, members Of
the American Newspaper Guild.
Many of the editorials pointedly
mention Dave Beck, Seattle labor
cZar. Beck is credited with being
the moving spirit in the strike in
retaliation for the newspapers
frequent and militant cruSades
against Beck's attempts, through
his teamSterS' organization, to eX-
tend his control over many Seattle
industries.
Competitors Stand
Perhaps the most vigorous COM
ment was from the PostIntelli-
gencer'S most active competitor,
the Seattle Times, which, the day
after the morning papers suspen-
sion, carried the following edi-
torial in large black face type
across four columns on page /:
Yesterday was written the
most shameful page in Seattle'S
history.
by the order Of a labor
leader, the Post IntelIigencer,
Seattle's oldest newspaper, was
compelled to suspend publica-
ton.
"Out Of the qufeScent fingers
Of a cOmplacent mayor and
chief Of police, slipped the gov.
eminent Of this once great city.
Today it rests in the firm hands
Of Dave Beck and his braWny
crew Of teamsters, lOggerS and
lOngShOremen.
"GOne is constitutional govern
ment. Gone is majority rule
and freedom Of speech.
Seattle is now the plaything
Of a dictator. Practically with
out warning, q newspaper has
been put out of business. Per.
hapS all will be-unlesS Beck'S
within leads him to keep one
for his own. purposes.
IF q newspaper, why not a
department store? Or bank?
Seattle has definitely been
on the dOwngrade for some
years just because Of our labor
situation.
THE suspension Of the Post
Intelligencer is more likely than
not to mark the place where
Seattle IieS-dead.
Dave Beck and his following
comprise a very small fraction
of the city's population. But one
bandit can hold up q whole
rOOmful Of people.
How do you like the looks
Of Dave Beck's gun?
"The shame of it,"
STARS COMMENT
The Seattle Star commented in
part as follows:
"Organized labor Of Seattle
has fOrcibly closed a large news
paper plant, one of the city'S
most important institutions.
Hitler and MuSSOlini have not
gone mucA further than that in
matters of fOrcible suppression.
"A serious wrong has been
done. Its results may strike at
the vitals Of American liberties.
"But-and here's the grave
danger Of the whole situation
if a newspaper can be closed by
q group that diSlikeS its policies,
then an individual citizen can be
muZZled If his talk diSpleaSeS-
and this will no longer be the
United States Of America"
SITUATION BAD
Said the Walla Walla Union:
THE situation in Seattle is
hod TDn man - ooueaI nf otto oh
ing guard at the P.-I. office
were released without bail on
orders Of the mayor, John F.
DOre. 1t indicates that the
mayor has let the government
slip from his fingers and placed
it in the hands Of labor unions,
a condition not good in Seattle
or any other city,
The Spokane-Review had this to
say:
"The question has been asked,
and it is a fair one, to what ex-
tent the representative of the
National Labor Board in Seattle
was involved in the lawleSS pick
citing Of the POSt-Intelligencer?
"The impression given by this
action of the Federal Labor de-
partment Is very unpleasant
since the POst-InteIIigencer has
been an outstanding opponent
of the Roosevelt New Deal"
care Governor Martins Lands
bound from efforts to settle
things, by the same political