Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-06-20
Tobin's Hold
On Unioneers,
U. S. Linked
Understanding to Conn.,
pei Men TO Stay on Jobs
By WEsTBROOK PEGLER

By WESTBROOK PEGLER
THE editorial in the monthly
journal of the teamsters'
union in which brother Dan
Tobin. its president. ordered his
members to 60 through picket
lines, contains admissions Of
scandalous fact which are star
ting in their candor.
II also reveals that this politi.
cally powerful boss of a huge
and rich private organization is
ignorant of the status that free
men are supposed TO enjoy In a
free country and on these and
other grounds calls for extended
discussion.
First let us take up brother
Daniels admission that the
picket line, in many cases, is
nothing but racket in which
professional loafers are hired by
union grafters to picket place
so that the boss will compel his
workmen to join up and pay up.
whereupon the organizer collects
so much per head for delivering
these captive Americans.
DROTHER DANIEL admits
- that this type of picket line.
which has been a common type
of picket line in recent years, is
nothing but a racket.
II all unions would admit this
and order their members to ig-
more such picket lines. one of the
worst abuses that the unions
have inflicted on the American
people would be abated.
But in recognizing the noto-
rious fact that many unioneer1A
are common racketeers. he con-
cedes that the racket cannot be
suppressed by voluntary means.
This amounts 10 a concession
that the force OF government.
state or federal, or both. should
be used 10 accomplish the pur.
pose.
But he doesn't ask for any
such law because his condemna-
ton of the racket is limited TO
the war period.
pROTHER DANIEL clearly
- tells his subjects that the
national danger justifies them in
crossing such picket lines. leav-
ing equally clear the under.
standing that in time of peace
il is all right 10 blockade plant
whose workers have no dispute
with their employer so that the
employer will either close down
or force them 10 join.
In fact, some OF Brother To-
bins own unions have used this
blockade themselves 10 force
clerks and others who are by
no stretch OF the imagination.
.teamsters, TO join the transfers
union.
In the Pacific northwest,
Brother Tobin'S personal repre-
sentative, Dave, Beck, the pro-
tector of that Sonquered
territory. claimed as transfers
most workers who handled any
thing that rolled on the high
ways or streets, and he grew so
strong and arrogant that he
regulated competition between
various kinds Of small retailers.
beyond casual reference
- to the coercion of unwilling
men and women into unions as
dirty work. there is no word -.
A. Of sympathy for the victims.
themselves.
There is no emphasis on the
fact that such coercion. in which
the transfers, so often have
taken part, violates the human
rights and dignity Of the work.
erS and pointedly violates their
right, supposed to have been
established by the fake Magma
Charta known as the Wagner
Act. TO select their own bar
gaining agents.
That phase OF the question
does not occur at all in Brother
Daniels discussion of the picket
line and he is concerned solely
with the war effort and the i'm
position on the teamsters when
they are compelled TO sacrifice
pay by refusing 10 deliver goods
TO picketed places.
Brother Tobin then reveals
something that l am sure none
of us knew before.
He reveals that his union has
an understanding with the fed
eral government whereby this
private organization undertakes
to compel men to stay on their
jobs and says members who re-
fuse to obey orders should be
suspended or expelled"
And he predicts that the gov
eminent soon will call on him to
report the names of district Off
GERS of the union who cause a
stoppage of work without his
sanction.
WHAT punishment the federal
w government will measure
out 10 such men he does not in
Hirafn hut harn Nuo haua hAes