The Wilmington morning star., 1943-10-10
BY WEsTBROOK PEGLER

NEW YORK; am afraid this is going to
be another of those heavy handed numbers
about the European obliqueness of the mis-
called American Labor Party which may not
interest you just now but surely WILL and to
your great detriment and regret, in time, if
you ignore it on the ground that it seems no
bigger than mans hand
You may recall that boss.ruled unions of
this European organization have peremptorily
ordered their faceless subjects to attend politi-
cal rallies Tor their candidates. including
James Mead, the New Deal Senator from New
York, under penalty of fine for absence, in
fragrant violation Of their human and civic
rights. You may remember also that Sidney
Hillman, President Roosevelt's idea of an ex-
emplary labor leader, had the effrontery a
little while ago to propose that all members
of all unions be compelled to pay regular,
periodical political contributions tc this creep
ing continentalism. Under the closed shop,
which is the ideal of Hillman. David Dubinsky,
Alex Rose and all communists and fascists,
this would mean that through the agency of
a synthetic or fake political party, dissenting
and unwilling American workers, forced into
unions against their choice, would be COM
PEELED to pay an income tax to promote pro-
gram alien and hostile to American ideals.
from member of a dressmakers union under
Mr.. Dubnsky's rule. He received form
letter from Charles S. Zimmerman, its secre-
tary-manager, reminding him that his proud
est possession as American citizen is the
right to VOTE very hgh-sounding observation,
to be sure. Mr.. Zimmerman then told him
that last year lot of workers throughout the
country failed to register and so could not
vote and that, result, we got bad Con-
gress, which passed the Smith Connally law.
1t is Mr.. Zimmerman's contention that this
Congress, freely elected by the American peo
pie is nevertheless unrepresentative of their
will because it has flouted, in some matters.
the orders of the bosses of the unions. The
faceless recipient, whose racelessness is con-
stantly thrown up to him in those left-wing
writs and orations which deny him human in
dividuality and call him 1.-The Masses is
then not merely reminded that he ought to
| register, but is practically ordered to enroll
! in the American Labor Party. He is told to
'be sure'' to enroll in the party and to make
the political coercion a little more emphatic,
our subject was sent return post card, ad-
dressed to Dear Brother Zimmerman, Dress
makers Union, Local % of the Garment Work
ers, reading: This is to notify you that
have registered and enrolled in the American
Labor Party
OF course, dear Brother Zimmerman could
60 to the rolls to check for his own purposes,
the extent of which we do not know whether
the subject had obeyed his very pointed sug-
gestion, but the return post card method con-
stitutes a much more convenient way. Any
subject failing to return the card could be
marked down as political dissenter and de-
linquent and we need not be told that an IN
dividual who has lost his identity in the
masses under union rule is SUBJECT TO subtle
punishments for political heresy ne may De
heckled, Disseminated against and harassed
with charges and may decide that IL were
safer for him, though not for the country 10
obey orders.
Time is said to have been when the posses
of soulless corporations similarly trampled the
civic rights of workers but this pracuce was
angrily denounced as inhuman ana un-A1nerl-
can. The same practice by the boss unloneef,
however, exerting a power equahy as great
| and ruthless, is familiar methoo OIL nie view
Deals political subsidiaries. the unions, ana
is defended and praised as a great ~ 70 're
once free American citizen and Woihei.
That no ostensibly voluntary LABOR orsahi "a
ton has any right to dictate or supelvice 'he
political action of any of its meIloe.s IS
proposition that needs no arguing 70 any per
son of American instincts. Inc oa' io'Sol
seems to call for no tag-line
-V--
Paddle your own canoe ana ~ Lide oftan
Doing the same with your own N-N' '-'e1'
has the same effect