The Wilmington morning star., 1940-11-25

NEW YORK, NOV. A4.-Isailh 40"
file members of the unions OF the
American federation of labor owe
thanks to Mr.. Joe Fay, the head
man of the New Jersey mob OF
the A. F. of L. and a member also
of Frank Hague's mob of the party
of humanity, for taking pops at
MIR. Dave Dubinsky, the president
of the garment workers, during a
social interlude in the national con-
vention in New Orleans. By past
ing his distinguished colleague in
the leadership of labor with a capt.
tai L. MIR. Fay suddenly gave ma
tional emphasis to the demand for
the elimination of racketeers, graft
ers, unioneering exploiters Of the
labor movement and plain journey
men criminals from positions of
leadership.
It happens that the territory in
which MIR. Fay operates is a parti-
cularly dirty jurisdiction, where
union leadership is as crooked,
brutal and stupid as the political
leadership, and it is easy to under
stand why Mr.. Fay regards as
Lousy" Mr.. Dubinsky's resolution
to eliminate racketeers.
Appropriate Place
The attack on Dubinsky, which
developed into a th~ree-round brawi,
began, appropriately, in the bar Of
the Roosevelt hotel in New Or
leans, a true spiritual home for
individuals of the type which Mr..
Dubinsky's resolution would detach
from their graft and powers. The
Roosevelt, and particularly the
bar, was the headquarters of Huey
Longs gang of thugs and thieves
in the day of the kingfish's great
est power and it's traditions are
synonymous with those of the
gangsters of the American fedora
ton of labor. Its manager was MI.
Seymour Weiss, the head thief and
criminal genius of the Long mob,
now under two federal prison SEN
fences for operations having to do
with the famous double-dip swindle
against the people of Louisiana.
The atmosphere of the hotel has
long been one of conspiracy,
thievery and thuggery, and tn e
American federation of labor,
whose national convention is a
veritable hoodlums' Old Home
Week, would be sure to feel at
home amid the criminal reek that
fingers from the days of the dicta-
torship.
1t must be noted that olt for
the impulsive and characteristic
conduct of Mr.. Fay the Duolnsky
resolution might have been showed
around and whitfield away to a
harmless and meaningless general
reputation of sin, with no practi-
cal or personal application 10 any
individual hoodlum in the councils
OF the A. F. of L. But now, what
ever the fate of the resolution and !
regardless of the form in which
1t is finally adopted-if it is adopt
ed at all-public opinion will
realize that the situation has not
been exaggerated in the press IN
the last year, incredible though the
disclosures may have seemed.
1t may even be possible to per-
suade congress to appoint a special
committee to examine evidence
that the leadership of the A. F. of
l.. unions constitutes a very ambi-
tlous rogues' gallery and to develop
before the country the fact that
many unconvicted crooks in the
unlon are crooks, nevertheless.
VINO use their union offices to pro-
mote various rich rackets in priv
ate business and politics.
Up To Fay
AS to Mr.. Fay's insinuations that
Mr.. Dubinsky himself may have
personal knowledge of racketeer-
ing in times past which does no
credit to his garment workers., il
seem to be up to MIR. Fay|
present his evidence on behalf
OF the labor movement which he
holds SO dear and for such COM
pelling reasons.
But this much may be said of
MIR. Dubinsky's conduct as hear
ing on the purity or impuritv of
MS motives which are open to sus-
plclon of polite opportunism: Mr.
Dublnsky has been in the labor
movement for many years and the
racketeering of which he is 81
abruptly and piously aware has
been going on for manv wears
but he never became aroused until
the situation had been widely if
not thoroughly, exposed in the
press.
1t may be observed also that
did John Lewis ever exe1t
himself noticeably against crim1-
nails and other racketeers in the
a.. f. Of L. when he was a strono
influence in that organization. al,
though just now he is full of scorn
Tor William Green's groun Th,s
TACT creates a suspicion that his
expressions on the subject of crimi,
repartee. pon'ical
l am glad Mr.. Fay has drawn
attention to the A. F. of T, 1eadar
snip in New Jersey, for 7 No.
iiuen data on crooks of various
in the unions in his zone 'at
influence. There are some charn
Ing gorlllas in his territory who
WI not enjoy fame, and Mr.. Fav
a done an effective, if uninten,
t tlonal, JOB as advance agent for
me public denunciation of .