Evening star., 1942-04-18

Ia too often
carelesslys - ~
applied to all David Lawrence.
laboring men when the criticism
may really be intended for the labor
politician or the men who exploit
labor for their own personal gain.
unquestionably there has been
more criticism lately in the press
about labor unions than ut any
time for . long. long while. Some
Of this criticism has mistakenly at
tackled the loyalty OF labor, though
some Of It has been carefully point
ed toward that part Of labor's lead
ership which preferred strikes and
work stoppages during 1o4o and ls4l
to all-out production.
What is difYicult to understand.
however. Is the attitude Of many OF
the magazines and newspapers pub
lished by the labor unions them
selves. They are far from models
Of restraint. They contain partisan
and bitter denunciation Of employ
ers and they keep alive the fires
OF class hatred.
Violent In Attacks.
II. for instance, anyone thinks
the general press happens lately to
have been critical of labor. one
would be at pains to find any gen.
eral newspaper or magazine that
attacked labor as violently or with
as intemperate language rs is to be
found In many Of the labor union
organs.
Consider the American Federation
OF Labor itself-the Oldest trade
union organization in America and
one that has . splendid tradition
to follow. for In the last war 1t
furnished through the late Samuel
Gompers an excellent example OF
labor leadership.
This months issue Of the Fed
erationist. which is the ofiicial
organ OF the A. r. L., prints q page
OF photographs of members of Con-
gress, newspaper writers and radio
commentators, and on top of the
page Is the headline: These Are
the Men Who Smeared Labor" and
at the bottom OF the page In big
type is the following lines: "Presi-
dent Roosevelt Spoke Of . Sixth
Column"
Whether one thinks the words
sixth column" are or are not an
attack on the loyalty Of American
citizens. there can be no doubt that
many people In America have been
given that impression about the
term. Yet in the center Of the page
is = photograph of Representative
Vinson Of Georgia. Democrat. who
is chairman of the House Naval
Affairs Committee.
Is It fair to accuse Mr.. vinson Of
being q sixth columnist Just because
he happens to be sponsoring legis-
lation to limit both the profits Of
management and of labor2
Study Shows Comparison.
This particular publication is
circulated among the labor union
locals, which in turn print labor
papers. II any one made thorough
study OF the labor union press. he
would find that all the attacks ever
printed by the daily press against
labor unions would seem mild by
comparison.
There is. for instance, one labor
union paper published by one OF the
oldest and finest international labor
unions in America, whose officers
are men of real ability and whose
record has been one of scrupulous
conduct Of their own ofilces. Yet
such high-grade union maintains
one of the most vicious sheets in
America. 1t prints bitter attacks
on individuals and, in season and
out. publishes a constant flow Of
poison against the employers.
All these labor papers enjoy free
dom of speech, and this correspond
ent would be the first to defend
their right to say what they please.
short of statements injurious to per-
sonal integrity, which are, Of course,
amenable to legal process, But If,
as is being argued so emphatically
hereabouts. the general press con-
tains here and there articles which
are denounced as likely to produce
discord and disunity In wartime the
labor union press will be found to
contain ever so many more articles
which. at q time when there should
be cooperation for all-out produc-
ton. continue to prejudice the work
ers against their employers.
Under ofYicers' Control.
1t is often dificult in controver-
sial matters to know where the bit
terness first started. but 1t Is safe
assumption that the class warfare
which is supposed to be diminished
In wartime Is not going to be re-
duced In intensity If the labor press
while asking the general press tc
modify its tone, fails itself to elimi.
nate the excoriatory language ano
vituperative phrases that abound
In its organ.
Usually these publications arr
under the direct authority of the
officers Of the union and hence the,
are subject to direct supervision
by the labor unions. That Is why
the persistence OF bitter attack OF
employers in publications that ar
circulated widely throughout Amer
ican factories can hardly produc'
that spirit Of Cancellation and goo<
VIII between management ant