The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1943-10-13
BY WEsTBROOK PEGLER

convention for purposes OF sef-pralse OF the
sordid Jumps who command the American
Federation of Labor was held in Boston con-
currently with the opening in New York Of
the trial Of eight Chicagoans on charges of
extortion through the power of the Browne
ployees.
1 shall carefully refrain from comment on
the testimony and from any expression of
knowledge or opinion as to the character of
any defendant or witness involved in the case
on trial. But the timing of the two events
does call for discussion of the infanay of the
governmental labor policy which maintains in
office and in authority within the United
States the men who not only permitted but
actually connived at the rise of underworld
powers in the union movement in many lines
of work.
William Green, the president OF the AFL,
enjoys the favor of the new deal administra-
ton and of the Supreme Court, which S
given two shocking decisions comforting on
his gauleiters throughout the nation the right
to commit acts which committed by others,
would be punishable crimes. He is an as
sociate and defender of and apologist of GRIM
nals and VIGOROUSLY guilty but unpublished
thugs and has taken their part actively and
possibly in their oppression of rank and file
workers whom he has piously pretended to
represent even as he has betrayed them. In
this course he has been complimented and
upheld by the President of the United States
and all agencies having to do with labor re-
lations and he is now, by reason of this gov
eminent support, one of the most powerful
men in the United States.
1t is familiar criticism of those who ex-
pose and oppose criminality in unionism, d.
rected at them by members of the new deal
fascist-communist underworld axis, that the
crimes of few scoundrels have been exag-
| gerated to the injury of unlon1Sm and the
workers. Eliminate the rascals, they say, but
save unionism and let the unions, not the
people and the public government conduct
| the purge.
The obvious answer is that no cleanup can
be accomplished from the inside which does
not start with the dismissal of William Green
and the reputation of Joseph Padway, gen.
eral counsel for the ALL and for several OF
the most brutal and sordid racket organiza-
tons within the fold For these men are not
petty leaders but great powers IN the ALL.
1t insults the intelligence of all union workers,
whether voluntary and enthusiastic Jolners or
bitter and detected victims OF coercion and
extortion in many FORMS to say that they
have the power to eliminate crooks through
democratic processes when it is known that
the men at the top are in league with notorious
exploiters of labor. It mocks justice and
faith of these workers in the integrity OF
popular government to realize that the ma
tional government of their country supports
Green and has selected PadWay as an Of
fetal representative of American LABOR on a
complimentary mission to labor in the Brit
ish isles
| Nevertheless, although years nave passed
since Green's collaboration which such YER
min and Pathways acceptance OF their money
in the role of consul were exposed beyond
even denial, much less disproof these people
and others no better continue to ENJOY the
status of leaders and spokesman Tor millions
of American workers and the status OF SOW
ereigns Most of the press continues to speak
of them as leaders of "1abor' when they
are in fact, not leaders but bosses and MOI
of labor but of organizations which holo
labor in chains.
The national government, through Green
who once appointed notorious unoerWorle
racketeer to a committee to investigate
racketeering, has entered into a straight pc
Itical alliance with the criminal underworld
of the old prohibition and kidnapping eras fo1
the purpose of subjugating and robbng Labor
of not only its money but its freedom ana
lately in creeping fashion, OF its right u
vote at the public polls.
None of this is ever denied but menuon O.
:, all such perfidy is constantly denounced a
an attack on labor and union1sm. Inls Il
the fascist phase of the new deal-fasclst-com
nunist.underworld axis for it was just sc