Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-05-07

any llulN luNdl w IiulllNlth lbi
calling a strike. even though the
stoppage be caused by the arbi-
trarv order OF one man or a
committee and without a vote
of the rank and file.
I AM NOT arguing that in all
Il cases the employers were In
the right. and that the workers
had no grievance.
But ! do point out that under
the labor policy Of the govern
ment, an employer may he
quickly and firmly called 10 ac-
count and compelled 70 adjust
the problem.
The same policy almost invari-
ably pleads with and placates
the union bosses even though a
referendum 70 the rank and file
might show h a I the workers
would like 10 repudiate these
officers.
To weigh the value Of William
Green's undertaking on behalf Of
all the unions OF the AFL which
have foutcd his promise again
and again and again, rs PresI-
dent Roosevelt would say. II IS
necessary only 70 refer 10 his
own reiterated explanation that
he has no power over the auton-
omouS national unions and their
constituent locals and councils.
When. about six years ago. II
first dawned on the public
through newspaper exposes that
at least four Of Mr. Green's biz
national unions were run by ex-
convictS and that racketcers
were using unionlsm as a salts
factory substitute for bootleg
Ginc since repeal, nc issued a
public statement IN which he eH-
planned that the AFL was
loose confederation Of indepcnd-
ent and autonomous unions and
that he was powerless 10 inter-
fcre IN their affairs even 70 drive
out predatory raScals who were
robhing and prosecuting the
workers.
IN THAT. he was technically
Il correct but the fact remained
that a man honestly devoted 10
the cause Of unioniSm and with
heart sympathetic with the
workers could have oNerted
great influence by SnuhblnG the
more notorious raCkctcerS
This Creme did not do
on the contrary he was care
ful 10 show the same ConSldera-
ton 20 the notorious double
dealer. Joe Fay, Of the operating
engineers. who is both a union
boss and an employer Of oper-
atinG engineers in his role OF
contractor, that he showed 10
any upright union official.
In a ST. Louis case, Green up
held a gang of spectacular
thieves against the downtrodden
rank and file who had rlSked
their very lives 10 revolt.
So. taking Green at ms word
when he said he was powerless
TO interfere in the affairs OF an
autonomous national or local
union, we observe that he had
no authority 10 promise that
there would be no strikes.
TT HAS been only by good luck
Il and public decorum that We
have escaped some dreadful eX-
| poricnCoS on the home front
since Pearl Harbor
President Roosevelt in his
radio address on the strike Of
John l.. Lewis coal miners. n
strike contrivcd by devious
little scheme, referred 10 express
SionS which he had received from
mon wounded IN the war and
returned home.
| do not know whether such
sentiments are recent develop
mcnt i'm his fan mail but | do
| know that for more than a year
| have been receiving angry let
tcrs from fighting men and
from the parents and wives Of
fighters, some of whom are so
bitter against all unionism now
I that they would endorse capital
punishment for unioneerS who
order strikes in war industries.
All of them are indignant that
Green, Philip Murray, the pres
ident OF the Go. and Lewis
should be accorded such I'M
portance.
I ( Congress, seems 10 be the only
hope for unioniSm and the very
proposals which the unioneers
and the administration condemn
as anti-labor bills would save
labor from tho consequences Of
the folly. stupidity and incom-
petcnce of the national leader
ship Of the unions.
1