Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-02-23
Civilian Effort
Necessary
TO Victory
Government Regulation
ct Labor Vital
BY WESTBROOK PEGLER

per day alter ne mas Deen eN-
cused from service as fighter
on the ground that he is one of
the indispensablcs.
If he is a farm laborer he will
he required to work reasonably
hard and we'll, either on its own
place or on his employers, and
not permitted TO drift down the
road to an easier Job, on better
pay, frying hamburgers in a
jook-spot
If he is a machinist he Will be
made TO meet certain rates OF
production and standards OF
quality and put in his days work
ing. not fishing or loafing
Even if he is only remotaely
eligible for military service, or
ineligible because of age or
physical impairment. he will be
placed under some compulsion to
deliver
THIS probably IS Hltlcrism
L and may amount 10 the
conScription Of labor AT union
wages. but, If so, We shall have
10 make the best OF II. for the
civilians have got 10 lurn out
the work in this war and strikes.
loafnG, StalllnG and mallngcrlng
VIII not be tolerated. Men have
been conScribed for fighting, and
industry and wealth. or capital,
which is the aggregate result OF
the work of many individuals.
have been called up.
The farm properties and fac
tories are under the govern
ments command.
Only civilian workers have
been excused from this great
draft and both the government
and the bosses of the union
movement have placed them
selves on record as recognizing
the fact that the labor OF the
multltudeS is essential TO victory.
Because this work is essential
some form of CompulSion Will be
adopted 10 cQuallze the burden
Of duty
The case of the exempt loaier
of military age and fitness IS
easily settled
HIS exemption can be revoked
on proof thal-he has violated the
conditions of his deicrment and
he can be sent 10 some com
Blatant outfit 10 fight.
I'VE others present = more
difficult problem. but one
which should not abaSh a deter
mined and desperate govern
meHt Fines, possibly prison
sentences, suggest themselves as
goads
Hitler and our cherished COM
radeS-ln-arms. h @ Russians.
have used compulSion on CIVILIAN
labor in var industries. lnclud-
ing agriculture. for a long time
Hitler rounded up battalionS
Of men and set them 10 work
building his west wall and farm
workers were chained 10 their
occupation and shifted about as
the need for their services came
with the seasons.
In our country il might not
be necessary 10 move bodies Of
civilian workers from place to
place but again might be
IL 10000 more or loss skilled
men are IDLE IN Detroit. for cN-
ample awaiting tho conversion
Of certain plant, and there :
desperate need Of thor skill
in. say, Cleveland or Chicago.
the transfer Of those men from
idlcncSS 10 productive work
would he no greater problem. in
It's simplest terms. than tho
movement Of a like number Of
drafted soldiers from a reserve
position 10 a threatened point
on tho front
MORALLY and politically. Of
W course. such a measure
would be very trying and We
might nave revolution and
kick our own country apart and
defeat ourselves from the in
side.
But We are being collcctivizcd
al a fast rate these days and We
might be surprised al our own
readiness 10 yield our liberties
for the defense of liberty.
Certainly We will not stand
for many more demonstrations
like that in which several thou
sand workers in tho motor in
duStry quit and sulked because
one member Of the union had
received a pop on fhc nose from
another member
The union demanded that
Ford fire the assistant and Ford
SAID hc couldn't because the man
was union man
Finally, the union suspended
him 50 that Ford could lay
him of
IT WAS said that this man had
L already popped two other ar
dent union men because he had
been anti-unlon himself and had
joined only when he had 10 do
so under the closed shop agree
ment
But this union has no right 10
object &c A little clouting II
has merclleSsly beaten an d
mauled hundreds of nonunion
men by mob action in its time,
so the strike was just treason
and It's like will not be tolerated
long
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