Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-16
Employers
Denied Right
To Fire Reds
# G 0 m munist HoI d
Union Card. He's Safe
By WESTBROOK PEGLER

WE ARE all more or less ex-
cited about the Communist
strikes in the defense industries.
but this very excitement is
clouding the original issue, and
the national government. as
usual, is gently but effectively
deceiving the country by dodg-
ing among the clouds.
The fact is that no employer
in any business should be COM
PEELED 10 hire or retain a Com
munist in his employ.
If Communist is an enemy
OF the United States in a mu-
nitionS plant he is an enemy no
less in the business office Of a
newspaper or in a plant which
manufactures automobiles for
sale TO private individuals.
The fact is that the right 10
picket is not right TO organize
mobs TO terroriZe citizens and
deter them from patronizing a
legal business or 10 prevent
them going TO their jobs in
struck plants.
This government has en-
couraged the Communists for
years. and a recent decision
holds that even in hiring work
ers an employer may not dis
criminate against the union
member
Even though he he a Conn
muniSt. he must be hired II he
can prove that he is a union
man.
NOR its own purpose, the gov
L eminent takes a more con-
venient view. Communists may
be excluded and Communists
NAV be denied relief jobs.
Thus the government ADMITS
that il has found il impossible
10 do business with Communists,
but insists that American citi-
zenS who are employers must
do business with them. never
-thelesS, and, moreover. must re-
frain from espionage over them.
although in its own case esplon-
age is deemed necessary.
The government has it's FBI
for that purpose. but the private
employer must not call on the
PinkertonS at his own expense.
But how is the private en-
ployer TO ascertain whether an
applicant or employee is Com
muniSt. lacking espionage and
forbidden 10 inquire into n
mans political affiliations or
svnpathies and TO reject or dis
charge him on such grounds?
Apparently he is just out Of
luck.
Apparently he must hire or
retain a Communist even IL the
Communist shows the employer
his party membership card
whereas the government can
compel the individual 10 sign an
oath that he is not a Commu-
mist and may get rid OF him bV
informal methods or trickery II
he proves TO be party man or
party liner anyway
THE government keeps its hir-
L ing and firing privilege. but
denies that same privilege 10
the employer and. moreover.
actually puts pressure on him 20
compel him 10 EMPLOY men who
could not qualify politically for
work on government tasks.
The picket line is supposed 70
he no more than a group Of in
dividuals exercising their right
Of free speech.
Theoretically. they are there
10 advise customers Of store
or nonStrikers going 10 and
from work that. they have
grievance against the employer
and 10 request that the patron
or worker refuse 10 trade or
work there.
That is all there Is 10 the
picket line. legally
But actually the picket line
is a mob skilled in starting
trouble and provoking others 10
start trouble.
II has no more right 10 mob
other people than any individual
has to walk up 10 a stranger
and hit him over the head with
a stake.
The fact that a strike, iusti-
fed or otherwise, is in progress
at the scene Of the disorder does
not mitigate the ofense.
DUT our government has taken
- no measures TO condemn this
mob violence.
The administration NAV not
have been legally guilty OF pro-
tecting or assisting the mobs in
this sort of civil war, but IL
has not opposed them. and II
did support Frank Murphy for
election, took him TO the cabi-
net and finally put him on the
Supreme Court bench in ap-
proval of his conduct In such
civil war.
Mrs. Roosevelt. who Is an I'M
portant unofficial member of
the government, frequently has
indicated that she favors the
pickets. and in one case, not
withstanding a civil commotion
which had been kicked up by
the union in question, she deliv-
cred sympathetic speech.
The American WaX cannot be