Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-04-29
An+i-Union?
No.I'mUnior
PegIer Says !

American Labor g.
by Present Setups
BY WESTBROOK PEGLE|
TT SHOULD not be necess}
L for the stanchest friend
American labor and the q
man to challenge and att1
the worst enemies of the worl
to answer the cry labor bait|
which has been raised by
now frightened and desperl
corruptioneers, parasites, Il
ers and Brown Shirts.
However, I think this
better be done because til
really is something to the \
lerian proposition that a lie]
big enough and told of
enough, presently begins
numb the peoples judgm|
and, in time, will convi]
them of something which u
know to be false.
Up to now / have just scorl
the accusation tAat-Eamf-a3
labor, not only because it is
obviously false and too obviou
intended to divert attent
from rogues caught in the
4 T THE risk OF seeming
"A modest l will say that tn
are very few persons in
United States who know
much as / do about the orgd
Zation. the constitutions and
laws, the practices, the reven
and the personalities of unid
/ am challenged sometimes
the ground that don't tear 1
war profiteers and some corr
practices of business and II
even to some honest men
women, seem to condone
silence evils which deseI
enmity of all conscientious
zens.
The reasons are several.
For one, business is resp
Sble and subject 10 restrain
laws and regulations.
For another. 1 am not
authority on big business and
customs.
And. finally, I ventured
this controversy when mine
a very unpopular cause and
not intend to quit now that
real enemies of American Id
are on the defensive.
THROUGH my efforts AM
L can labor has now lean
that unions, as now constitl
and conducted under
existing laws, are a menacd
the freedoms and the form
government that this countrI
fighting TO preserve aga
Hitler and the Japs.
Congress also has stia
slightly.
In fact, the lower house
given two violent witches
the members, subject TO cleo
every two years, and there
less complacent politically y
the senators. realized what
unions were up 10 and obsef
the growth of the arrogI
leering power of the polif
unioneer over the life OF
American worker.
And. no doubt about II,
withstanding the pernicious'
of the decisions and the real
Ing behind them in the carr
tiers and teamsters' cases,
courts in a number of other
cisions have begun to reel
from the boss unioneer SOM
the natural rights Of million
human beings which had I
seized away in the tumul
New Deals so-called ar
called social program.
Am / anti-union. then?
Let nobody tell you that.
I believe in the stated
pose of the Wagner Act tot
able workers to bargain COZ
lively through agents OF q
own choice.
The closed shop and its VI
tons, which are only disguf
forbid freedom of choice
compel American workers I'd
cept representation by agI
whom they would reject IL
were allowed to.
7 AM against coercion by
l. ployers, which is forbiddel
the act. and equally oppose
coercion by union agents, W
commonly consists of plain
gerry and physical terror
and which pointedly is not
hidden.
1 am against extortion
money from the workers and
common practice of slug
men in union meetings for 1
ing to ask questions about
disposal of their own fund.-
The extortion of money
employers also must be stop
not only because 1t is wrong
because this graft comes on
the workers in increased pr
Unions have got to stand
for progress where now they
their power to prevent the