Evening star., 1941-11-19

pletely lOgey-mlNQeU, WllOIH Hotil-
ing can convince or enlighten,
Put aside for the moment the
defiant demands of John L. Lewis,
the action and speech of the Presi-
dent, along with other developments
of the coal mine crisis. and consider
only Mr.. Murray. Here are the
facts about that gentleman: AS head
of the c. I. o. he supported Mr.
Roosevelt for third term and was
made a member of the Presidents
National Defense Mediation Board.
On various occasions he has made
speeches exuding patriotism and de-
claring himself 100 per cent behind
the President and his program. But
when Mr.. Lewis imperiled that pro-
gram by calling his closed-sho
strike Mr.. Murray promptly sup
ported him. Also, despite the PreSi-
dents pleas in the name of national
defense. Mr.. Murray, as member
of the Defense Mediation Board, not
only voted for the closed-shop side,
but resigned when the board over
vhelmingly decided against Mr..
Lewis.
Statements Don't Jibe.
Here is a man who first proclalms
himself 100 per cent behind the
President and declares that nothing
must be permitted to impede the
flow OF material to England and
Russia. And then he promptly puts
himself 100 per cent behind man
who has called strike which, the
President says. threatens his pro-
gram and aids the enemy. On the
same day, at the c. I. o. convention,
Mr.. Murray urged resolution
pledging unqualified support to Mr..
Lewis and then presented his report,
in which he pledged unqualified
support to Mr.. Roosevelts policy
of all possible economic and mate
rial aid to the foes of Naziism
two things obviously contradictory.
And then, apparently just to make
things more grotesQue, Mr.. Murray
asserted that the whole picture. OF
the defense program so far has
been one of chaotic administrative
disorder" That is true, but it is
strange it should come from Mr..
Murray, who is part of the defense
administration and an enthusiastic
supporter Of Mr.. Roosevelt. who,
after all, is responsible for this
chaotic administrative disorder" If
any one is Thus. Mr.. Murray takes
his stand with the President and
against him. He pledges devotion
to his program and eulogizes the
man. And then he joins move
ment which would scuttle the pro-
gram and voices criticism that
/ reflects on the man.
/ The whole business is illogical,
incredible and absurd. 1t does not
make sense. and the final fantastic
/ touch is Mr.. Murray's contention
/ that there is nothing inconsistent
in his simultaneous support of Mr..
/ Roosevelt and Mr.. Lewis That is
pretty close to the peak OF i'm
pertinence. and it hardly can be
based on any other assumption than
that the American people, in the
mass, are a lot of suckers. Perhaps
they are. Certainly the sort OF
thing that, without protest, they
have put up with in the last Is
months is pretty strong evidence
that they are.
Pious Speeches for Labor.
In that time they have listened,
on one hand, to the President re-
peatedly declare that every ounce
Of our strength is needed to crush
Hitler and that there must be no
delay on defense work On the
other. they have heard his labor
friends declare they are whole
heartedly with him. Yet the record
shows that these friends" have
supported strikes on defense con-
tracts which have lost more than
100000 man days in 10 months
All this time the President per-