The Wilmington morning star., 1944-01-30
By wEsTBROOK PEGLER

By WESTBROOK PEGLER
NEW YORK.-At some recent proceedings
before a congressional body in Washington,
Henry Kaiser was criticized for dealing with
union representative who had caused strikes
and slowsdowns in important aircraft produc-
ton. The man had been shown to be liar
on his oath and otherwise crooked and had
changed his identity several times. A more
evil and dangerous man in position OF such
power to obstruct the war effort OF patriotic
people to the peril Of their sons and OF the
nation could not be ina ined. He had admit
ted before congressional committee that ne
was ruthless, utterly selfish and, in round
numbers, a rogue.
One member remarked that Mr.. Kaiser did
not have to deal with such man and MIR.
Kaiser replied, with great restraint Il dis
agree with you."
Mr.. Kaiser, unfortunately, was right. Under
the laws passed by Congress and by the
failure of Congress to amend and supplement
those laws, any employer, whether ne IS en-
gagged in war work or private industry, must
meet and negotiate with the agent OF MS EN-,
ployees no matter how that agent acqulco
his authority and regardless of his character.
He may be known criminal, he may have
muscled his way into power, >but congress,
itself. has said that the employer must nego-
tate with him. And Congress also has SAID
that the government must recognize MIN as
a legitimate representative of labor and may
not INQUIRE into his character or challenge MS
credentials.
This state Of affairs obviously leaves the
employer, the public, the warriors ana 'ne
workers in helpless position.
CONGRESS has refused to lay down any rules
governing the internal conduct OF UNIONS
whether the election of their officers, the
method of voting on. strikes or other issues
the punishment of members Tor mo1sclpllile
or their persecution for opposing CORRUPT 1eao.
ersh;p. or the control of union funds. IL Is
true that the House of Representatives mas
good record of several honest attempts TO
reform this situation, but the TACT remains
that Congress as whole must take tne re-
snonsibilitv for the validity OF Mr.. Kaiser
answer: Il disagree with you" And the gull
test group in Congress, the men ui1l1aately W
blame for this, are the Senate conmlt'ee vi
Education and Labor Gilbert D. ihon1as, %
Utah, chairman), who blocked REFORMS |ia'
had gone through the House.
Far from protecting the people rom UNION
corruption and sabotage and manifestations
~ fascism and national socialism by unions
in collision with the government congress
has even authorized government agencies "
conone1 EMPLOYERS to drive citizens lnto tllllolis
soainst their will and to make them stay IN
good standing. BY authority OF congress anu
in default of reform, thousands OF WORKERS
on vital war jobs are forbldden 10 proou ~
to the limit of their normal ability while 1he
President and the Secretary OF war can LOT
conscription of all able-bodied men ana women
iao1 e,
This demand for CONSUMPTION OF labor was
intended to prevent strikes of winch tnere
have been Sab in two years since rear
Harbor. according to a figure from the iron
Age. accepted as authentic by special conf
mittee of the House in the absence OF re-
liable data from the Department OF Labor
which cannot be relied on to tell the truth.
And by this proposal the entire CIVILIAN popu-
lation could be placed in involuntary serVl-
tude at arbitrary wages and most driven into
these unions under these lawless conoluons
to atone for President Roosevelt's poHtlcs ana
the failure of Congress to bring unions under
law.
Tho man with whom Henry Kaiser was
compelled by law to carry on labor relations,
notwithstanding his shocking record and his
hideous statement that he would let American
voung men die for the lack of fighting planes
if necessary to advance the interests of his
,,nion and retain his power and pay is still
the bargaining agent under law nd Mr..
Kaiser Still is required to deal with him.
And the blame for all this rests Con-
gress, particularly on the Senate which has
nlayed low and cynical politics with the new
deal. the underworld and the bad men OF
the American Federation of Labor and the
CLIO at the expense of labor and the whole
people of the United States
II "A
Anything like worldwide system OF trade
based on the Atlantic Charter calls for a
definition of equal access to raw materials.
No one nation. no one leader, no single de-
cade will be sufficient to solve the problems
that arise under the beneficent system to
which we look forward at the close OF the
war-President Isaiah Bowman OF Johns
Hopkins University.