Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-12
Murray Hits Troops
Clio President Condemns Use of Soldiers to Break
Strikes; Says Draft LatU Is Abused
Continued from Page One)

John L. Lewis. former Go preSi
dent and head Of the powerful
United Mine Workers Union, hac
helped frame Murray's letter. In
some labor circles. it IS reported
Murray wrote the letter 10 explain
his position GfQ- members II
order TO avert an open split be
Tween CONSERVATIVE and left wins
factions in the Go.
Murray. in writing il, said:
THE injection OF armed forces
Of the nation into "A private
industrial dispute must be CON
demned. Such action can only
serve 10 create a status of en-
forced labor Repression or
the use of force are not the
methods that can or will he
cOuntenanced by the American
people"
or the work or fight order, Muir
ray had this 10 say:
secretary of war Stimson
and General Hershey National
Draft Director Brig Gen. Lewis
3. Hershey recent issued a
national order under which all
draft boards were directed TO
re-examine and cancel defer
ments OF strikers. This order
extends forced labor 10 practi-
cally every ma or industrial
plant without regard for labor's
rights or the merits of any In
duStrial dispute.
CALLS IT ABUSE OF LAW
ut constitutes n flagrant
abuse of the CONSUMPTION law
and an open breach of faith with
labor. The perVerSiOn OF the
CONSUMPTION law j. deeply re-
pugnant to the American way
Of doing things. This action Is
intended 10 break strikes re-
Cardless of the full merits Of
Iabor's demands in the particular
dispute"
Workers. he said, must con
tinuc TO enjoy their fundamental
right 10 strike
In condcmning proposed anti
strike legislation and calling for
its defeat Murray opposed giving
Instrumentation board power e
force compulsory arbitration OF
labor disputes.
NO mediation board. which
has as its function 10 mediate
labor disputes. should uSurp. or
he given the authority 10 impose
compulsory arbitration or 10 In
terfere In any way with the
basic rights OF labor" Murray
said.
This indicated 10 labor observers
that MURRAY will quit the media
tion board II u becomes a com
pulSorN' mediation agency.
Murray however. made II known
that national Go leaders ell not
tolerate SubvcrSlVe groups in &C
ranks indicating The support Of
his office in tho action of national
leaders of tho cos United Auto
mobile Workers Union IN suspend
ing some California strike leaders
Murray asserted
1T Is understood that the
Go opposes the SubverSive
work Of any group In the United
States. whether corporate. Com
muniStIc, NaLi or Fascist. that
may he interesting themselves
in the prom lon Of selfish
things designed 10 undermine the
Interests Of the Unit States ~
America In its national defense
effort"
Murray also stated that dcStruc
ton Of the democratic rights o
labor will play into the hands %
the enemies Of democracy.
MurrayS statement came in IN
face Of declarations by Prcsiden
Roosevelt and war department
officials that they will use troop
IN other strikes IN addition 10 m
North American dispute, II neces
SarN.
Secretary of Navy Knox tcmr
cred tho threats somewhat by say
inc that tho use of troops was no
directed against the "V'orkin
man but against ,uhverSive ele
mentS trying 10 create wor
stoppaEes.
! Knox spoke al a meeting Wit