Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-03-14


sariiy those of The Detroit
Times.)
BY WESTBROOK PEGLER
WELL, sir, you just would be
w surprised to learn how SIM
pie this proposition is whether
you join a union as a preliminary
to catching a job on a big gov
eminent building operation in a
community where the people
aren't mind to join and pay.
If they aren't mind to they
simply don't, and the money
which they otherwise would
have paid TO unioneers is theirs
to do with as they like.
The army post of Fort Bragg
is one of the biggest in the
country. and il has been an
open shop job from the begin
ming. except that in the plumb
ing and steamfitting contracts
the unions were allowed to pro-
vide the help until they ran
Oul VI iiltil.
When all their members were
at work and still more men
were needed, nonunion men
were hired.
Quarters and service build
ings, such as hospitals. ware
houses and movie theaters.
shops. sheds and laundries have
been building TO accommodate a
force of about 5000 men.
THE work began last Septem-
L Der and is now 81 per cent
finished and it is safe to say
that the union. which has been
collecting money from the pick
and-shovel hands on most other
jobs of the kind throughout the
United States, didn't pick up a
s. bill here.
The carpenters are almost all
farmers living in a neighboring
region embracing five counties.
who had time on their hands.
anyway. during the Winter. and
such skill as a man needs to
keep his buildings mended and
replace any that burn down.
Altogether about $4,000 men
have been hired and paid for
more or less time at 65 different
occupations having 10 do with
the construction of buildings and
roads. mains. sewers and all the
other work that constitute a big
cantonment for soldiers, and
while union men have been well
come, no man has been barred
because he didn't belong to a
union and refusing to do busi-
ness with the collector.
IN A way. however. they all
L had the benefit of collective
bargaining, because the pay was
established by the United States
Department of Labor.
Carpenters have been drawing
90 cents an hour and working
4S hours a week. plumbers S1.25
an hour and laborers 80 cents an
hour.
That is corrcct-30 cents an
hour for laborers. mostly COL
ored farm hands. or only S14.40
for A 4S-hour week. and the
bargaining agent on their be-
half was the department OF
labor-a fact which apparently
gives official support 10 the
contention that living is cheap
around here for Negroes. as il
should be. considering the sort
of living il is.
But, anyway, fms employment
has been a windfall for almost
all concerned who otherwise
would have been earning. in
round numbers. nothing during
the months consumed on the
fort.
THE speed of the work I'M
l. doubtedly has been the
greater for the absence of union
business agents on the prowl
and haggling over minute ques-
tons of jurisdiction. such as
that in Dayton. where whole
job was shut down because the
Go sent in four electricians
of special skill 10 do a spe-
cific job. and they were pro-
tested by the union in power.
The North Carolina workers
and scattering drawn from
few other southern states just
refused to have any truck with
the unions. reducing the ques-
ton to its simplest terms, which
have been logged out of sight
by arguments in the last few
years.
No mans right 10 join union
was contested, but most of the
men stood on their right not TO
join, and their right. as Amer
lean citizens, to work at their
legitimate occupation, neverthe-
less.
Patriotism Is rife among them,
and foreignism and sabotage OF
a defense work as means OF
advancing the narrow interests
of union are to them unthink-
able.
And every dollar they earned
has been theirs.
Copyrighted by United Features synd, Ino.
Quiz Answers
/. Triumph or success.