Evening star., 1939-07-29

ACWlo WALL
amends, that he is big enough to
realize his mistake and ask that
the remarks be expunged from the
record. Again and again members
of Congress say ill-tempered things
about each other and then few
moments later confess their error
and ask to have their hastily spoken
words erased.
Personal attacks as a rule hurt the
maker more than the persons at
tackled Here is quotation from a
prominent American who has had
as much sympathy with the cause
of organized labor as any man in
public life:
This being a free country with
freedom of expression-especially
with freedom of the press-there
will be lot of mean blows struck
between now and election day. BY
blows, 1 mean Misrepresentation,
personal attack and appeals to
prejudice 1t would be lot better, OF
course, if campaigns everywhere
could be waged with arguments In
SIeaQ OF plOWS.
Proves Boomerang.
81 hope the liberal candidates will
confine themselves to argument and
not resort to blows. In nine cases
out of ten, the speaker or writer
who, seeking to influence public
opinion, descendS from calm argu-
ment to unfair blows hurts himself
more than his opponent.
THE Chinese have story on
this-a story based on 5000 or 1000
years of civilization: Two Chinese
coolies were arguing heatedly in the
midst of a crowd. A stranger ex-
pressed surprise that no blows were
being struck. His Chinese friend
replied: The man who strikes first
admits that his ideas have given
out"
The author of the foregoing quo
tation is President Roosevelt in a
fireside radio talk from the White
House on June "a, 1888.
1t may be, of course, that Mr..
Lewis felt his grievance against Vice
President Garner, because of the
latter's hostility to the "sit-down"
strike weapon and other allegedly
unfavorable comments on labor leg
islation, justified personal attack.
Lots of people believe that when
their cause is just they are entitled
to commit any crime or misde-
meanor to achieve their objectives
This is the psychology back of
lynching and the taking of the law
into ones own hands when the
processes of justice are considered
too slow or unfair.
Behavior Generally Ignored.
Public opinion in America, how
ever, has never countenanced the
use of unfair tactics to win even
worthy objectives. The Vice Presi-
dent is known as unique per-
sonality who drinks in moderation.
Mr.. Lewis himself occasionally takes
a drink, just as do many public Of
flcials. Certainly, nobody has ever
accused Mr. Garner of being in
toxicated Politically there will be
differences of opinion about his
views, especially on labor legislation,
but it is extraordinary, indeed, to
drag personal behavior into a DO
litical controversy in the National
Capital. Washington has usually
been immune to such outbursts of
passion,
The incident, however, is not with
out real Importance far beyond the
political consequences which may
follow this sort of attack. What it
reveals is that Mr.. Lewis feels a
deep sense of provocation about
labor legislation and that he believes
an assertive tone and aggressive
front against his opposition will do
labor's cause more good than the
testimony before the House COM
mittee will do him-Mr. Lewis-any
harm.
An Emotional Subject.
Labor matters are all too much
nowadays matter of emotion
rather than reasoning. Whether
employers were the first to lose their
tempers, or whether leaders of the
unions were the first, is secondary.
The spectacle of men of responsible
ity engaged in name-calling will not
increase confidence in the quality
of their leadership. Mr.. Lewis has
behind him labor organization of
large numbers of workers in whose
cause he has been sincerely active,
but unless he can fight labor's
battles fairly in the court of public
opinion, the cause of labor may be
injured. For this reason, it is more
than likely that Mr.. Lewis will upon
reflection cast out the resentment
which he doubtless feels, and show
his followers as well as the public
men of the country that he spoke
hastily and without due considera-
49,. .f tho ar,noritioc Of ,,,,hlin nfhna