Imperial Valley press., 1943-06-28
CONGRATULATIONS
TO CONGRESS

Some day, what with the current speed
of developments, there may be a daily
public opinion poll-taking method where
by voters daily can express their opinions
relative vital issues of the moment.
Were there such a recording system
in existence today, we believe the tally
sheet of public opinion would show
great satisfaction on the part of the maj
ority of people with the passage of the
anti-strike bill over the presidential veto.
1t is not easy to analyze this salts
faction which is of such degree as to
actually reach the state of emotional Ella
tion. In the whole historical event there
are so many factors that where one begins
and the other ends is difficult of defini-
ton. Clumsy as the divisions may be,
there seems to be a war program aspect,
a government aspect, and a political as
pect.
War Program Aspect
The nation has recognized that the war
program has been seriously threatened
by strikes in essential Industries. Actual
public hatred of Lewis and his miners
has been directed at him and them only
because they are the personification of
this danger. They made the danger real
and actual and apparent to all.
The country has demanded that this
danger be eliminated, and the best way
to eliminate it was through the Smith
Connally bill. The people believed this
and Congress was expressing the will OF
the people when it insisted on passage of
the bill.
Now the people await application of
the new law to Lewis (symbolizing PAM
pered, ruthless, selfish labor leaders)
and his miners (symboliZing workers
who, merely because they have griev-
ance-and they certainly have one-thlnk
that war, laws and everything should
stop until their interests are metz.
The people believe that no individual,
group. or class is paramount to the ma
tional interest And this law, weak as
it may be, expresses that insistance.
The Governmental Aspect
That Congress realized this public feel
ing, shared the conviction, and had the
courage to overcome the presidential veto
is heartening because it is evidence that
our Congress is no longer rubber stamp
institution 1t thinks for itself. When
it finds the chrief executive wrong 1t
insists on what it (Congress) believes Is
right.
That is as it should be. Good gov
ernment is one in which there is strong
president and a strong congress. 1t one
is wrong, the other can try to overcome
it. On the principle that rig Int has the
best arguments, we can therefore expect
generally to have good government.
In this case, congress has both argu-
ment and courage, whereas the presl-
Dental veto had only weak argument
and evidence of lack of courage
All of which creates the hope that con-
gress will at long last establish sound
labor policy and that this is the first step
in that direction.
The Political Aspect
There is distinctly political side to
the question. 1t has been believed that
the presidential attitude toward abor
and strikes and Lewis has, all along.
been colored by political reasoning. This
suspicion was strengthened by the fllmsy
reasons given for the veto.
There is place for politics. but Demo
Gratis and Republicans and SOME New
Dealers, 1--WE purposely make the three
divisions) are convinced that NOW Is
definately not the time and Washington
lust as emphatically is NOT the place!
And that congress feels the same way
and no longer will let politics dictate
vital war policies, is good news in any
body's language.
Paul Jenkins
If the liberation of the people for
L fF.i n