Imperial Valley press., 1943-06-08
AN ECHO FROM
OKLAHOMA
By p. A. J.

Last week this column carried a frank
straight ht-frOm-the-shoul expression rel
ative the handling of the John /. Lewis
coal strike. The opinions expressed were
pretty blunt and, to some, may have APP
peared ruthlessly candid.
Interestingly enough, on the same date,
the Oklahoma City Daily Oklahoman,
Democratic newspaper, appeared with
the following editorial on its front page.
comparison of sentiment and treat
ment may be found interesting. The
Oklahoman's editorial follows:
People are fec up on strikes in war
industries. People are fed up on John l.
Lewis and all other domestic enemies
who are now attempting to paralyze the
fighting strength of our armies and nav
les. At the wars most critical stage.
when our armies in Europe and Africa
are poised to strike a vital blow at Hit
ler's fortress of Europe. domestic enemy
at home is about to shoot them in the back
by shutting down all of our war plants.
Immediately after our armies and
navies have won the battles of TuniSa
and the battle of Attu, a domestic enemy
with 100000 troops at his command at
tacks America in its very vitals and calls
a halt on the production of coal for steel
mills, ship yards, railroads and thous-
ands of munitions factories.
The flow of ammunition, guns and air.
planes without which armies cannot eX-
list, will be stopped for a million soldiers
in Africa, a million in England and mil
lion on Pacific battlefronts John L.
Lewis and his 100000 followers can ac-
complish mora deadly damage to Amer
lea and her allies than 100000 Japs or
100000 Germans. Unless they get an
increase of S1.50 per day each, they are
willing to have a foreign enemy defeat
the flower of American manhood on for
egn battlefields.
What is the use of defending ourselves
on foreign battlefields if we will not de-
fend ourselves at home in our own back
yard?
Fifteen months ago this paper started
a prairie fire" by demanding that con-
gress pass laws which would absolutely
outlaw all strikes in war industries. The
American people rose up and demanded
that strikes be outlawed Union leaders
became frightened and rushed into print
with page advertisements that there
would be no more strikes. The promise
Of labor leaders that there would be no
strikes is worth exactly as much as the
promises of Hitler and no more.
Congress clustered but did nothing.
1t will do nothing now unless 80 per cent
of the American people rise up in their
wrath and compel congress to act.
Congress can stop every strike in the
United States within 48 hours by enact
ing law with the following provisions:
l. To automatically freeze in every
bank or depositary the funds of all un-
ions, local or national. which cease work
or go on strike.
2. The appointment of custodian of
domestic enemy property to seize and
assume custody Of the funds of not only
the local but of the national union or
PLANTATIONS of any union that goes on
strike.
8. Provide for the assessment by courts
of enormous fines against every striking
union and against each member partici-
pating in the strike
4. Provide that the president of the
United States shall have the power to sat
up an Industrial armv and to draft all
the workers of any designated industry
into such an industrial armv as body
and without going through the red tape
of local draft boards That the presi-
dent, as commander-in-chief shall assign
regular army officers to take command
of the industrial army and to place Of
ficers or soldiers on guard over every
working unit in mines or factories where
strikes have been called, to see that each
individual produces his normal output