The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-07-06
WORKERS MAKE HISTORY


The Times-News found the following
very interesting article in the last number
of, The Texas Weekly: ..
History, in a small way at least, was made in
Dallas on Monday night of this week when more
than 1900 OF the 1900 employees of that eity's
Ford plant gathered on the grounds Of Dallas
school and served verbal warning to the Com
mittee for Industrial Organization that they want
no part of it. This, let it be clearly understood,
was meeting of Ford workers, and, as one of
these workers said "No one asked US to hold this
meeting. No one of the officials was even told
that we were. None of them are here. We took
this upon ourselves to meet and tell the world
how we feel.' Well, they did tell the world. This
overwhelming majority of the men employed IN
the Ford Motor company's Dallas plant made it
clear that they "feel no need for the c. |. o.,
that they "are not going to strike, that "there
will not be any labor trouble in the ranks OF
Ford men in Dallas.
Perhaps, on second thought, this is more than
history in a small way. Perhaps it is history in
very big way. For here we have a picture of
men recognizing and publicly proelaiming the
fact that their employer IS their friend, not their
enemy; that he has treated them fairly, not un-
heartless exploiter And along with that, these
Ford workers said in language which cannot be
misunderstood that C. T. o. organizers simply
aren't wanted They prefer, in short, to string
along with the company FOR which some of them
have been working many years.
To be sure, there shouldn't, in the light of
logic, be anything so amazing about this. But it
is amazing, for this action of the Dallas Ford
workers comes at time when other workers in
other parts of the country are listening to men
from without their ranks who talk Of the "heart-
less exploitation" of their employers and who are
directly responsible for the wave of labor dis
turbances that is sweeping the country at pres
ent. The Ford workers at Dallas say they want
none Of this. They say they are satisfied to do
their work and get well paid for doing it. They
say Mr., Lewis's organizers need not waste time
with them. One of the speakers at Monday
nights meeting summed it up: Texas has al
ways been free State. We intend to keep 1t
that way. These Texas workers have no diff
fculty in understanding that freedom is not at
tended by the violence and coercion which have
marked the activities OF the Committee for In
dustrial Organization. 81
Mr.. Ford should be proud to have men like
these workers. Texas should be proud to have
men like these as citizens.
We agree with The Texas Weekly tina
history was made by the action of Forc
workers in Dallas, and we trust that mucl
history of a similar character will be mad,
from this date forward in all the southern
States. .--..
The Ford workers in Dallas speak ant
act like sane, intelligent courageous, pa
triotic Americans. They proclaim them
selves free men" in ".free State" Ma,
they continue to prove the truth of thi
claim by their actions. We believe the,
will and that they will have the co-opera
ton and backing in such, a course of al
overwhelming majority of Texas citizens
and that never shall come to Texas tn
shame which covers Pennsylvania, Mich
gan and other States, on account of tn
surrender of duly constituted government
to the rule of the mob.
All of which is in no sense discussion
of labor unionism by this newspaper or tn
taking of sides as between employers an
employees in any of their differences o
private affairs. ~. 80
The present situation in this country ha
passed far beyond any mere questions o
industrial problems or differences, union
ism or any other legitimate course by work
ing men. It is now matter of laWlessnes
against law; of insurrection and anarch
in opposition to government; of the use Q
revolutionary force to deprive America
citizens of their rights and to force .ther
into seryitude to would-be industrial an
political Jdictators. .,s'
Under such conditions as confront