The Republican., 1937-03-04


before the issue is clear or even their
demands formulated, that labor leaders
should proclaim-and without dissent
from the White House-that they have
the backing of the President. Yet, that
is exactly what they have done and
are doing. 1t is certainly clear that
without Administration support Mr..
Lewis could not have saved his face
in the General Motors strike. Mr..
Roosevelt was properly quick to throw
overheard the young and ubiquitous
DR.. Stanley High, for writing articles
as one of his "close advisers" and he
sharply rebuked, by name, Mr.. Sloan
for failing to respond to Madame Per-
kins' invitation to confer with Mr..
Lewis while the sit-down strikers were
still in the plants.
But when Mr.. Lewis, in a bellicose
and bullying statement, recalled the
financial and voting support his or
ganization had given the Roosevelt
campaign, said this was no time for
pussyfooting and bluntly voiced his
expectation that the President would
pay his political debt by throwing his
weight on the Lewis side-the Presi-
dent showed no resentment. His rebuke
scornfully rejected the notion it was
meant for him. 1t was after this that
the Secretary of Labor exhibited her
pro-union slant and that Governor
Murphy was authorized to tell General
Motors it was "the wish of the Presi-
dent" that they confer. But for that
expressed wish, Mr.. Lewis would not
have got his conference until the sit
down strikers were out and the law
would not have been openly defied and
the order of the court treated with
contempt.
. The argument is made that violence
and bloodshed were averted only be-
cause Governor Murphy refused to en-
force the law and General Motors
relinquished their legal rights, and
that this was the wise and humane
course. Nevertheless it has been fol-
lowed by violence and bloodshed in
Illinois and by an epidemic of sit-down
strikes in various parts of the country
one against the Government itself.
In other words, the sit-down strike
has been established as weapon which
can be used regardless of the law and
the courts. Not only can be used but
is being used. 1t has been established
that a labor union can ignore the law
and defy the courts. Not only can but
has. For this state of affairs the White
House cannot escape responsibility.
Conceding that it was wise to avoid
violence and bloodshed by not enforc-
ing the law, there still was nothing
to prevent the President from raising
his voice in disapproval of open law
lessness and rebuke to those who defy
the courts. Quick enough to speak on
other matters, on this he remained
completely silent, thus sustaining the
c. l. o. in a completely untenable and
illegal position. 1t would seem that the
people had right to expect that sort
Of utterance from the Chief Executive
of the nation, sworn to uphold the law
and preserve the Constitution.
But they did not get it. On the con-
trary, the settlement, with the union
still defying the court, was hardly over
before the President made his own
attack upon the Supreme Court, and
the labor leaders rushed to his support.
Mr.. Lewis had one of his men issue a
statement warning members of Con-
gress not to "get in wrong" by oppos-
ing the President. Immediately the
Lewis organization began to bring
pressure upon Senators for the Presi-
dents plan, while simultaneously OPEN
ing its drive against the steel industry.
In this connection no better evidence