The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-03-24
BIBLE THOUGHT
ENCOURAGEMENT IN PRAYER
LABoR's RESPONSIBILITY TO THE
LAW

Justice Louis d. Brandeis of the United
States Supreme Court is the author OF the
following comment on this subject:
practical immunity of the unions from legal
liability is deemed by many labor leaders great
advantage. To me it appears to be just the re-
verse It tends to make officers and members reck-
Loss and lawless, and thereby to ALLEVIATE pubic
sympathy and bring failure upon their efforts.
al can conceive of no expenditure Of money by
a union which could bring so large return as the
navment of compensation for some wrong commit
ted by it,.
"The unions should take the position squarely
that they arc amendable to law, prepared to take
the consequences if they transgress and thus snow
that they are in full sympathy with the spirit OF
our people, whose political system rests on gov
eminent of law, not of men. You may compro-
mise a matter of wages, you may compromise
matter of hours-if the margin of profit Will per-
nit. No man can say with certainty that his opin-
ion is the right one on such question. But you
NAV not compromise on question OF morals, OF
where there is lawlessness or even arbitrariness
Industrial liberty like civil liberty, must rest upon
the solid foundation of law. Disregard the law IN
either, however good your motives, and you nave
anarchy. The plea of trades unions for immunity,
be il from Injunction or from liability Tor DAM
ages is as fallacious as the plea Of the lynchers
II lawiess methods are pursued by trade unions,
whether it be by violence, by intimidation, or by
the more peaceful infringement Of legal rights,
that lawlessness must be put down at once and at
any cost"
Justice Brandeis touches in the forego-
ing statement what has always been sore
spot in the ranks of organized labor. The
unions have had what Justice Brandeis
calls practical immunity from legal llaoil-
ity"; and this is one of the things they
have contended for as bitterly as any other
of the claimed rights of labor. The posi-
ton of labor on this point is absolutely
wrong; and now, as it seems the hnal
showdown in the settlement of so-called
labor problems is being faced in this coun-
try, the right or wrong course will be
taken and the future of the country will
depend on this action.
If labor continues to pursue lawiess
course the chances are that the country
will be forced into Fascism. It will be that
or Russian Communism. This newspaper
is one not yet convinced that the radicals
can take over and control the United
States; but they can force good American
citizens to assert their power and to clamp
down on radicals and on labor. That has
been done in Italy and Germany and it Is
much more likely to be the outcome IN
this country than that the radicals shall
achieve their purposes under the banners
of labor.
The public is disguised with labor trou
HES and strikes; and slow as the average
citizen is to come to an understanding o.
these matters, the public is rapidly ap
nraising the Michigan uprising and similal
outbreaks for what they are. The radica
classes may get away with this stun II
Michigan and possibly in other States; Du
they cannot do it in majority OF tn'
States-and they cannot carry on lnden
nitely in those States where radieaiism Il
the chief power in politics.
When the day of reckoning IS fuliy come
something unpleasant for radicals ano 1ol
much better men and citizens, will happen
Honest workingmen who are good and pa
triotic citizens probably could avoid tn'
evil day by taking the right course. ina
course, according to the views Of this news
paper, and many other newspapers ane
citizens whose sole consideration is tn
lasting welfare of our country, is the course
of making employers and employees equal
" responsible under the law for action tina
will maintain law and order and industrial