Evening star., 1937-02-21
Sit.DOwn Strikes.

Rev. Edmund A. Walsh, vice president
of Georgetown University, has charged a
member of President Roosevelt's cabinet
with virtual conformation Of the revo-
lutionary seizure of property" Father
Walsh referred to the sit-down strike
In the plants of the General Motors
Corporation in Michigan and to the
attitude of Miss Perkins, Secretary of
Labor, although he did not mention her
by name. The cabinet member" said
Father Walsh. asserted that such vio-
lent occupation Of another mans prop
erty was not yet declared illegal in the
United States. The obvious insinuation
was that there was sound argument for
hoping 1t might be held legal, which
would have meant the end of the bill
of rights"
o. This Is a serious indictment. 1t is all
the more serious because the admins
tration, from the President down, has
taken no position on the sit-down strike,
except Miss Perkins Perhaps this issue,
although 1t appears to affect interstate
commerce, is not one of those which the
administration believes should be dealt
with by the Federal Government. In
deed, it is an issue which should be dealt
with by the municipal and State gov
ernments. But that has not been con-
sidered good and sufficient reason why
the administration should remain silent
when other social and economic issues"
have been discussed.
Father Walsh, like many other Amer
icans. does not believe that the Gov
eminent should condone, or permit. the
seizure Of property by sit-down strikers.
He dubbed the act collective grand
larceny" and said that it had been en-
couraged In high places In a petulant
tone that seemed to ignore or to well
come the tremendous implications in
volved.' The first of these sit-down
strikes was, as he said, an importation
from France, and he called attention to
the fact that before the revolution took
place In Russia and before the Fascists
gained the upper hand in Italy the work
men had been encouraged to seize the
factories in those countries.
When the sit-down strike in General
Motors plants was condoned, It was q
foregone conclusion that this kind Of
seizure of private property would be
copied and multiplied. And from the
seizure Of one kind Of property it is but
o short step to the forcible seizure of
other property. What is happening to-
day? In Detroit there are five factories,
not connected with the automobile in
dustry. in the hands of 1000 sit-down
strikers. This kind Of property seizure
has spread to other States, including
New York, Illinois and Indiana. In New
York City sit-down strikers in apart
nent dwellings have attempted to deny
the tenants heat and light and have sue
ceeded In part.
o.. While this creeping paralysis Of law
and the fundamental rights of American
citizens is proceeding. what Is heard
from washington? What is heard from
the White House or from Capitol Hill,
where q New Deal Congress is In abso-
lAte control?
s, What has been heard is an attack
upon the highest court in the land, an
attack that is not calculated to make
strikers or any one else hold in respect
the orders Of any court, whether for the
protection Of property or any other
human right. Father Walsh has had
the temerity to denounce the sit-down
strike and to point to the evil progress
sion that may easily follow in its wake
John L. Lewis, when pressed by news
paper reporters to say whether he IA
yored the sit-down method as q weapon
to be used In future strikes, contented
himself with saying that he abhorred
strikes. But he would not say that the
sit.down strike would not be used.