Imperial Valley press., 1944-04-30
RULING AT POINT OF GUN;
DISGRACEFUl CHICAGO CASE

NOLtN0 Al TotNt VI 0UNt
DlSGRACEFUL CHICAGO CASE
Seizure by arms of the Montgomery
Ward mail order retail establishment in
Chicago reveals the extent to which the
President will go under the guise of
maintaining and sustaining the war ef-
fort. 1t smacks of dictatorial powers
coming mighty close TO the very issues
upon which the war is being fought
congressman, including the co-author of
the Smlth-Connally act under which the
government is empowered to seize war
production plants were quick to deny
that this act had any intention of includ
ing such establishments as Wards
The method of procedure when sol
diers with side arms and machine guns
forcbly elected the chairman of the
board of the store was without reason,
sense or justice.
Not in all time has there been so dis
graceful and uncalled for action, no
matter how vulnerable or guilty the pro-
testants might be under the law.
Previous seizures under the same act
have been orderly and decent, even when
the chief executive was dealing with
John l.. Lewis and his very war-vital
coal industry.
the widest sort of conception and inter
probation the Smith, -Connally act gives
the President war emergency powers
over domestic industry only to the extent
that he act where there is the need to
speed and continue the war effort or to
prevent any serious interruption of this
effort. 1t would seem that the crux of
the Montgomery Ward controversy runs
to that premise only.
1t is agreed generally by all concerned
that that point is the only real issue be
fore the court now engaged in a hearing
on the governments injunction suit to
restrain the retail concern must decide.
If the court holds for the government,
the country well may ask, what next?
And where will the next blow fall?
Reviewing he controversy between
Wards and the government, one finds a
rather startling picture in which the War
Labor Board does not figure so well. In
fact it shows this board up as about the
most arbitrary, dictatorial and unfair
set-up among all the present bureaus.
Wards operated under a contract with
the United Retail. Wholesale and Depart
ment Store Emloyes of America a C1O
union Taking the stand that this union
did not meet the desires of the stores
employees, the company sought an cleo
ton last 1all Wnlcn w LIB refused 10 or
der Instead the WLB not only ordered
Wards to renew the contract with that
unit but demanded the retroactive rein
statement of maintenance of membership.
In this the board utterly dlsregarded
the law as enacted by congress.
SO much for the WLB. Several months
ago, and long before the employees had
considered striking, the Post Office de-
partment ordered removal of what
amounted to branch post office IN the
store, service requiring seventy or more
postal employees. Next the post office
department suspended by arbitrary rule,
all delivery of incoming mail to the store.
From the company's request for an
election last November until last week
the situation was more or less static.
Last week the employees, following WLB's
stand refused to vote on a bargaining
union, and went on strike. Immediately
WLB certified the controversy to the
President for action. Followed a presi-
Dental order for the strikers. to return
and the company to renew the ClO con-
tract At deadline point the employees
did return to their jobs. Still declaring
it had the right of an election, the com
pany through its board chairman, Sewell
Avery. refused to comply and promptly
at the end of the time set President Roose-
Welt ordered the Department OF Com
merce to take over and the army 10 ASSIST
i'm enforcing the order.
The company is undertaking to obtain