The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-02-16
CalhOlc Thought And Opinion
B1 REN. JOSEPH Z. DoNNELLY

snudgeS Of racketeering, excessive
tees and dues, and what Is more
disturbing, the failure Of union
leaders TO deal with these abuses
determinedly and comprehensively
Excessive demands Of q few union
leaders have been used to build
Q selflsh caricatlire Of iabor's fight
for economic justice. Suhversive
radicals making O clanor far out
Of proportion to their number have
tainted q good section Of the naove-
Hnent with their evil character. An
almost insignia number Of days
lost through sporadic strikes has
been used TO build labor to the
stature Of Q moron grasping even
the emergency Of war to further It's
ends.
This last has been used to great
effect. Yet according to figures pub
nshed by Donald Nelson SIX days IN
ten thousand Is the proportion Of
work days lost by strikes during the
war period. Not perfection, we know.
but we hardly get perfection In q
movement entrusted TO human
hands, and the number certainly
cannot be honestly used to picture
labor determined to get its gains
cost what 1t may to production
schedules.
CORT IN THE C0NEMONWEAL
In The Commonweal this week
John Cort, one Of the founders Of
the New York ACTU, forecasts .
dark future for labor unless It's two
great units can get together and
harness their strength for o tough
pun against the. reactionaries In
both houses Of Congress who will
certainly attempt their program Of
anti-lahor legislation In this ses.
sion Of Congress, and the forces Of
the National Association Of Manu-
facturers who are dreaming fond
dreams Of "the good old days"
which they see as now on their re-
turn trip and who are building their
plans for o future when cash will
be king again."
He sees, too, O few parasites Of
the labor movement undoing all the
good results Of many years Of strug-
gle. "At least 90 per cent Of the
labor leaders have been working
hard to keep production rolling. II
Is tragic and rnaddening that oil
must suffer for the sins Of few,
but for that very reason 1t Is way
past the time when our labor big
shots got around to doing q Job
publicly and openly on the next
bunch Of zanies who try to play
Hitler's game"
AND THE CHURCH
Where stands the church, She
has promoted unionistn but has not
been blind TO Its possible faults as
she has not been blind to the abuses
Of capitalism. Though they have
been decidedly heavier on one side.
there have beer.Iabuses on both
sides.
Lasting peace In industrial xela-
tionships, a justice that win respect
the rights Of both parties, q spirit
Of good will and cooperation dis
placing present hatred and enemity
this should be the desire Of all
rational men. To secure these how
evgf, history has taught us that Ia
Dor must organize into sound,
strong and responsible organizations
which may meet on equal terms
with the power Of wealth and man.
agelnent. AZ
The organization Of all the work.
ers Of the various industries into
trade unions, the organization Of
all employers into their trade asso-
Citations and the representatives Of
the two groups sitting down In good
will and In q spirit Of cooperation
to settle their problems these are
the first steps Of the Church's very
practical plan for an organized In
dustrial society for the future.