Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-11-05
Constructive
Ideas Given
BY Pes|er
Complaints Answered
By His Proposals
By WESTBROOK PEGLER

By WESTBROOK PEGLER
THIS is one of my constructive
i days and the following pro-
posals are offered in answer TO
the common complaint that dis
closures of criminality in these
dispatches should be accom-
panied by a plan to mend the
wrong.
My recommendations are not
original, but are cribbed from
many debates and from the OBJ
vious.
Indeed, the reason why have
so seldom bothered to propose
remedies has been that the very
evils themselves instinctively
suggest their own cures.
First of all, l suggest that the
open shop principles be estab-
lished by law. preferably by o
amendment of the Wagner Act.
/ put this one first because 1t
is the most controversial OF all.
The open shopper has been at
tackled savagely for years and by
some citizens of considerable
standing, too. but he Is, after all,
only a defender of a fundamen-
tai human and constitutional
right of the American citizen.
The open shopper merely says
that the American citizen should
not be compelled to place him
self under the government and
regulation of private groups or
TO pay tribute to any private
group for the right TO work.
This principle is not abrogated
in so many words by the Wagner
Act. but it pointedly is not
recognized and the intention OF
the act to ignore il was admit
ted by Senator Wagner during
the debates which precededS
adoption.
He stubbornly refused TO per-
NIT any amendment which would
have penalized a union for coerc-
ing and intimidating a citizen TO
make him join. while demanding
that an employer be exposed 10
punishment for equal and similar
coercion and intimidation.
FRANCES PERKINS and Mrs.
l. Roosevelt both have fur
lively admitted the righthess OF
the open-shop principle, but only
in quick whisper. as though
they were ashamed to insist on
this right.
Nevertheless. they are on
record and surely nobody on
the other side OF the question
will call them labor baiters or
union busters for this, al
though others who have said
the same thing, but louder and
more frankly, have been so
described.
Next, inasmuch as the unions
OF the country now collect, one
way and another. about one
billion dollars a year from the
workers and except in few
rare cases, give no ineligible
accounting, law should be en-
acted compelling all unions TO
submit their financial affairs 10
public supervision.
/ know others have estimated
the annual take al one-half a
billion. but my figure is closer
in reality.
One of the wisest union men
in the country told me that he
and Several other professionals.
discussing this estimate OF mine
one day, decided that I was al
most billion short, but l will
stick to round billion and
point out that this much money
constitutes a great temptatioh8
and that no harm and only good
could come OF such a reform.
Iwould also limit by law the
salaries OF union officials, local
AS well as international, and
would abolish dual and triple
job-holding and duplicated ex-
pense accounts.
These unions operate under
special favor from the COM
munity as whole and the
whole public thus has a right 10
provide that they shall not be
exploited into private conces-
sions.
I HOPE | hear no objection,
L because any one who objects
would be arguing that there
should be no ceiling on the
profits of the unioneer. although
ceilings have been established in
other fields and the internal
revenue even limits the salaries
TO corporation officials and en-
ployes that may he deducted
from taxable income.
would insist on honest cleo
tons in unions.
At present we insist on cleo
tons in some circumstances, but
never on honest elections, and
we all know. by experience in
our public voting. that there is a
great difference between an hon.
est election and one in which one
side or the other stuffs the bal.
lot boxes.
| would provide prison SEN
fences for men who steal an
election in vote to select a bar.
gaining agent and similar pun
ishment for crooks who steal