Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-07-31
u. S. Workers
Ripped for
Hero Guise
No Sacrifice Believed
EquoI TO Soldiers
BY wEsTBROOK PEGLER

Il nonsense about the heroes OF
the shipyard and assembly line
and face the fact that any one
with good job in the war in
dustries AT home has a pretty
soft touch by comparison with
the lot OF the soldier or sailor
overseas or in the camps or sta
tions in the United States OF
America.
There may be some call for
heroism on the home front,
which is 10 say among civilians,
if and when the Germans bomb
our cities. or the laps come
ashore out West, but up 10
now, no.
In time, most of u. probably
will have 10 get along without
many things which have been
regarded as necessities, but so
far we have been pinched little
and we have yoWled like babies
over those minor nconveniences
anu utpilNdllOflS.
THERE are some inspiring pa
Il triots on the assembly lines.
but they would be the last 10
claim that their service is in
any way heroic.
| saw some in southern city.
putting airplanes together. In
A Stockroom fne-looking young
woman was in charge Of the
records. doing her bit al home
while her husband, captain IN
combat outfit, was, never
mindwhere, overseas.
But this girls sacrifice and
heroism were not represented i.
by her work in a factory. This D
wasn't particularly hard work
and she was paid well enough
for il.
Her bravery and his were
shown in their parting. the
breakup OF the home of two
young Americans in answer 10
the call of patriotism, each
knowing that they might never
meet again.
THERE were many other
l. women, some young, IN the
same factory, whose husbands
and brothers were off 10 the
war, and the guide who showed
me around said they were fine
workers and wouldn't listen too
politely 10 any one who might
ask or order them 10 slow down.
1t is hard 10 guess who would
call for a showdown nowadays,
but we do have slowdownS,
nevertheless.
The Communists wouldn't he
likely TO do this now, although
the showdown was their inven.
ton and was imported by them.
They are all out for victory
now and whooping for a second
front in Europe for mother
Russlas sake.
A SECOND front might be the
"a right thing from the mill
tary view. but they are for II
regardless Of It's feasibility be-
cause II would take some OF the
heat off Russia
Anyway, they are not slowing
down just now.
There are not enough NsZis
or pro-NaZis among us 10 cause
a showdown. so such tagging and
stalling as there is. and there "
more than plenty OF il, must he
the doing OF American workers
who are just sulky, selfish and
lazy.
II is pathetic that il should
be necessary or thought neces-
Sary TO organize and pay for pro-
fessional ballyhoo and hoop-la 10
stimulate the morale Of the
workers in any OF the war
trades.
What have they got 10 he SOW
or depressed about?
They are getting boom-time
wages with half-again for over
time beyond 40 hours, they get
break over other civilians on
rationed things; they aren't GET
ting shot at or bombed. and I
viii make a little bet with YOU
that few OF them are paying any
attention 10 the new income tax
schedule which went into effect
last winter and which would, IL
enforced require them. 10 drop
a little something on the drum.
COME employers arc awful
~ fools and pigs. too.
Some employers don't know
the first thing about plain hon
esty or getting along with
human beings and impose on the
workers with chiseling practices
and gyp contracts so shsmelessly
that the workers have 10 gyp
hack TO break even. although
their country, alone, suffers in
the long run.
| get word from all sorts ~
war works Of Stalling. of shifts
knocking of or Stacking off be-
fore their time is UP and Of two
men doing the work OF one.
IN A BIG airplane plant the
manager sent for a man 10
install some light bulbs in the
sockets Of his Office which had
no windows, this being a black