The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-04-04
Green Replies To
Colunlnist Pegler
BY WILLIAM GREEN
President, American Federation Of
Labor


The coercion argument against
unions is actually an argument against
the closed shop. Every intelligent per-
son realizes that coercion of workers
is not the object or general practice
of the trade union movement. Organ
lied labor was born out of suffering
and oppression. 1t is an understate-
ment to say unions were voluntary as
sociations of workingmen. They were
desperate associations. Workers join
ed together into unions because they
found they were helpless as individuals
to protect their own interests and OBJ
tain their just share of the rewards
of industry. That was the only justi-
fication for labor unions in the begin
ming. 1t is their only justification
now.
1t is needless for me to recite the
fearful conditions under which men
were forced to labor and the pitifully
low pay they received before the ad-
vent Of unions. 1t requires no great
exertion of memory to recall the tre-
mendous economic, legislative and So
cial progress effectuated by organized
labor in the past thirty years. And
conditions are far from perfect yet.
Even today the Federal Government
is experiencing serious difficulty in
enforcing law settiae minimum wage
standards and maximum hour provi-
sions for millions Of unorganized
workers.
The closed shop, or the union shop,
is not device to compel workers to
join a union. 1t is a protective meas
ure adopted by workers to prevent
employers from destroying advantages
gained by union organization. Union
workers have established by their
combined efforts high American stand
ards Of living and work. They refuse
to work side-by-side with non-union
men because they are determined to
maintain and improve their working
and living standards.
But Mr.. Pegler says he is forced to
be member of his union to hold his
job. 1t is easy to understand Mr..
Pegler's feelings because he probably
makes from 100000 to $4,000 year
and he figures the union cannot help
him a great deal. But how about the
young newspaperman who is making
$25 or $50 a week? How about the
veteran newspaperman whose pay has
been cut once, twice or three times :?
Surely, Mr.. Pegler instead of feeling
resentful because he is forced to join
his union under union shop contract
with his employer, should try to help
his fellow worker improve the stand
ards of his profession and strengthen
the union rather than destroy it. Per-
haps Mr.. Pegler cannot afford the 81
month dues he pays, but surely he
should not begrudge it if is being used
to help uplift the standards of his fel-
low workers.
Mr.. Pegler objects to the policies Of
his union. So do l. 1t is a CIO union
and it's policies are radical, to put it
mildly. But there are large number
of newspapermen who feel the same
way about these policies as Mr.. Peg
Ter. Why doesn't he join with them
to reform these policies rather than
condemn the union?
If members of union are indiffer-
ent, then the union may naturally fail
to be responsive to their needs. But
if the members Of a union take an
active part in its affairs, as they
should, then they can run their own
organization as the majority wishes.
The same principle holds true of gov
ernment in our cities, states and ma
ton.
When Mr.. Pegler charges unions
are coercive, my reply to him is-ask
the carpenter, ask the bricklayer, ask
the plumber, ask the railroad worker,
ask the printer in the composing room
of your own newspaper, and find out
Continued on Page Two)