The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-04-05
CONGRESS AND THE RADICAL LABOR
MOVEMENT

There is 10 doubt whatever that the
John Lewis labor movement has been en-
tirely taken over by the country'S radicals
and that old John is being used by them
as a figurehead and for what it is worth to
capitalize on his ability and reputation.
So venomOus is Lewis attitude to William
Green and the American Federation of
Labor that he has clearly demonstrated his
willingness to line up with the largest and
most dangerous conglomeration of radicals
ever assembled and associated in the his
tory of this country in exchange for the
power to whip Green and his organization
and in the hope of thereby becoming the
labor car of the United States.
So menacing has this movement, with its
accompanying sit-down strikes and upris
ings against all law and governmental au-
thority become, that Congress has been
forced to take cognizance of developments.
This course, as q matter of fact, is very
disagreeable to many Washington politi-
clans. They know the situation is one
loaded with dynamite for spineless politi-
clans. However, few Congressman and
Senators, notably those from States where
the radical population is small or non-ex-
listant, appear to be determined to press
the issue.
Perhaps, after all, there may grow out
of this condition something new in the
management of national affairs. For ex-
ample-an investigation of labor move
ment or labor organization. That would
be something new under the sun. The
country has witnessed hundreds Of investl-
cations of employers, of their organiZa-
tions, of every known kind of business, but
never an investigation of labor union or
the record of labor mogul.
In timely discussion of Congress and
its attitude to the radical revolution, The
Asheville Citizen says:
members of congress, in the house and in the
senate, in taking cognzance of this situation are
but responding TO the of feeling, of anxiety,
that has swept the nation. In most labor con-
troversies the public sympathy is generally heavily
with labor But in the case of the methods which
Mr.. John L. Lewis and his Clio are following the
public has been quick to sense that the issue which
q
of the United States and not challenge to par
ticular states or particular industries. Michgans
humiliation in the breakdown in that state of the
authority of the law is the humiliation of the ma
ton. The common sense of all who have 1t is
rightly impatient both of the unrebuked advances
that are being made by powerful and ruthless
minority in defiance of the law and Also of the
shabby arguments that are being made in support
of this defiance. The people can see for themselves
that what Mr. Lewis and his CIo are doing is IN
fact revolutionary thing destructive of the very
foundations of society as it exists in this coun-
try, and they want it stopped.
with the argument that it is not the business
of congress to stop it we have no quarrel But the
moves that have been made in congress during the
past week to condemn it have grown out of the
situation itself They reflect the sound instinct OF
the American people as whole that this Is an
issue that cannot be trfled with longer. This, we
think, is the explanation Of the Byrnes amendment
to the Gufey bill II is the explanation of the Dies
resolution for congressional investigation of the
st-down strikes and the activities of the ClO. The
fact that the rules committee of the house has IA
yoraby reported the Dies resolution is tremen-
dously significant. 1t is stated by the Washington
correspondent of the New York Times that only
one member of the committee is understood to nave
voted against the resolution. When one recalls that
congress has never in the past investigated labor
union and never until now even. seriously consid-
cred doing so the importance of what is presently
proposed does not need to be argued ..
Sometimes physician has sense enough