The Wilmington morning star., 1943-10-09
BY WESTBROOK PEGLER

NEW YORK-There are SO many heavy
demands on the popular capacity for indigna
ton that probably John L. Lewis motor trip
from Washington to Indianapolis to Spring
field, Ill, to Cincinnati and back will receive
no more than a snort, a mere token express
sion, so to speak The story seemed unbe-
lieveable when it first broke some weeks ago
but it has now been verified by Lewis himself
in a communication to his local ration board
in Alexandria, Va, and it confirms the public
impression that union officials do enjoy spe-
cial privileges in the matter of private motor
! transportation granted on the ground that their
activities vital to the war effort
An AP dispatch from Richmond, Va. re-
ports that Lewis had explained his trip sat
lsfactorlly and that there misuse of
gasoline. The question raised concerning a
visit to his mother in Springfield Lewis re-
piled that he had gone to Indianapolis, Spring
field and Cincinnati on business of the United
Mine Workers and that the side trip to his
mothers home involved distance of only
IS city blocks from the headquarters of the
union. The amount of gas consumed on that
mission would have been negligible and the
OPA could have been accused of heckling
over a petty violation if it had found viola
ton there.
But there is in the verdict of the rationing
authorities an admission that they think it
was quite all right for this man to make
his long journey by automobile using gas
obtained with tickets a ration restricted to
the most essential war workers. when there
was plenty of railroad and bus transportation
HIS reason for driving could not have been
other than his personal pleasure and COM
fort, for the trip by car must have taken
much more time and everybody knows, of
course, that the public transportation is badly
crowded nowadays and many of us yearn
for long, leisurely tour across country
Here is man whose contribution 10 the
war effort is a shortage of millions of tons
| of coal which will have many harmful eff
fects. People who converted household heat
ing systems from oil to coal at the suggestion
of the government will be no better or little
| better off than those who couldn't convert,
or for other reasons didn't. That means mis-
cry, worry and probably illness for many
Yet the business of the union which contrib
uted this shortage by order of individual
| tyrant is so highly respected by an agency
of the government that Lewis is permitted
to draw on the scant supply of gasoline to
drive not merely to the neighborhood movie
| house or race track or call on some friend
house or race track or call on some friend
a few miles away, which would be at least
questionable travel by another civilian. He is
authorized to fill her up and take along his
{ book for refillS and go for pleasure tour.
His explanatory note to his ration board
said he went to Indianapolis to wind up the
affairs of a union bank of which he was
president. to Springfield on legal and financial
| affairs of the mine workers. and to Clncin-
natl 20 take part in wage negotiations. The
published correspondence contains no sugges-
ton that the availability of public transpor-
tation was even discussed and the case is
marked closed and the rest of the people are
put notice that this is the settled policy
of their government.
Now there are millions of others who have
legitimate private business not connected with
the war effort but important to them new
ertheless who simply would not think of ask
ing for gasoline for such purposes. The public
generally has bowed to necessity and post
poned, neglected or otherwise attended to err
rands which could not be Just1fled as war
business. All this time, however, union Of
ficials have enjoyed special right to draw
special rations of fuel with no obligation to
Justify their mileage except to say, if CUES
toned, that they were on union business.
The Lewis case is particularly fragrant not
merely because he is Unpopular now nor even
because he, through his union, prevented the
production of millions of tons of coal which
should have been mined. 1t is fragrant be-
cause the motor travel was absolutely I'M
necessary and inexcusable with alternative
TRANSPORTATION available, though uncomforta-
BILE and because in recognition OF his favored
position. the OPA finds it legal.
But the incident will not cause a ripple.
The people are weary and punch-drunk and
indignation and protests are futile.
-V-
A Cleveland home was robbed of an alarm
clock two wrist watches and two o t h r
watches When caught, the thief will gel
plenty more tin4 ISL -,