Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-11-19
Real Issue
Of Strike
Concealed
Pu bile Deceivine Self
by Emergency Viewo
BY WEsTBROOK PEGLER

Nooi VI 10 SSShi NS'SA
AVA to deceive ourselves on the
fundamental issue in the coal
strike by confusing the case
with considerations of national
defense.
That is easily the most POM
pous and balled-up sentence that
has been published in this coun-
try outside the Nation and the
New Republic since the turn OF
the century. but have phrased
it backward and both ways
against the middle and it makes
no better sense.
Nevertheless, it is just what
/ mean.
The true point is that the
union would be just as wrong
in this dispute if there were no
military emergency.
The union is trying to COM
pei men to join private or
ganization which is much moro
than a mere labor union. SUBJ
iect TO arbitrary taxes and the
arbitrary rules and orders Of
suhleaders beholden to a die.
tator.
TT IS a political organization
i and a subgovernment or sup
ergovernment of national scope
and il is too big and powerful
for the laws pertaining to
unions.
These laws pertaining
unions are few, feeble and
fashioned and the attempt TO
deal with such organizations as
the miners of the Go through
such laws is like trying TO con-
troll a fast car with a halter and
rope or a roadhog freight truck
with an elephant hook.
If we say that John Lewis
must not do this or that because
military emergency exists we
are saying in very plain effect
thai il would be all right for
him TO do the same thing in the
absence of such an emergency,
and that is the big mistake.
Even in times of peace John
has no right 10 bar American
citizens from lawful employment
for failure TO join his union, ana
if we don't insist on that point
in the emergency we plainly
threaten the American citizen
with such compulsion and. as
President Roosevelt has finally
and reluctantly acknowledged,
with a phase Of the Hitlerism
dictatorship, when peace arrives
again.
THAT is a tough prospect TO
l. offer American citizens as a
lure 10 sacrifice so that Hitler
may De utSllDycA
Destroy Hitler. we say to our
people. and when we have all
made the necessary sacrifices for
that purpose and vanquished the
dictator we will place ourselves
under the dictatorial rule OF
John Lewis or some other politi-
cal unioneer.
Our people would not even
argue with Lewis or any other
unineer on this and several
other points of fundamental
right If they were educated IN
the facts of unionism.
And their ignorance OF tn
facts is partly the fault of ~
press and partly the fault Of our
politicians in the national field.
A good deal of blame lies with
the present national government,
too. because debate has been
kept down and every attempt to
bring bills into Congress for dis
cussion and a vote has been.
beaten by silent orders from the
White House.
The result is that our people
are Just beginning 70 realize that
unionism is not what they have
always carelessly thought it was.
II is a huge business and q
huge political movement.
IN WEST VIRGINIA right
L now Lewis is bigger than the
state government, and is organ
izing the state employees into
Go unions, which means that
when the inevitable demand Is
made for the closed shop, a pri-
vate organization, ostensibly a
labor union. will be demanding
a percentage of the wages of all
state employees and will require
that all employees join the union
but will not have TO give any
account of its political activities
or expenditures.
1t will be a political party
running an American state in
90 ~