The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-08-14

(Eoit0fs Note-Tho star and the News
responsibility for the personal views Of Mr. Pegier
and often disagree With them much ~ many Of
his readers. His articles serve the good purpose Of
making people think.
BY WESTBROOK PEGLER
NEW YORK, Aug. 13.-In Wichita, a promo
ter amiably known as NUT which he is not
has run semi-professional game of ball in
which the right-handed hitters were allowed
to run to third base, if they preferred, and
thence to second and so on around This droll
innovation might cause casualties at second
with runners sliding into the bag simultane-
ously from both directions and q double play
combination attempting to perform, but lett
not go into that wacky idea opens up an
entirely new field Of thought and action and
my purpose il to point out that just as we
have closed our minds to these possibilities
fer years and years, so also have we BACKED
cut some truths in other affairs which affect
cur lives
Outlandlsh as it seems to propose that de-
fensive ballplayers should have to guard
against runners going against tradition and
with the clock what's wrong with the idea?
And now, outrageous as most of us have
come to believe it is OF an employer to NEEDLE
IN the affairs of a union of the employers,
WHAT'S wrong with that? I know it is illegal
But is it wrong?
In the Philadelphia transportation strike the
company has been criticized almost as an
accomplice of the strikers and criticized bv
the Transport Workers union of the CLIO, at
that, because it didn't fight the strike but
gave IN and quit operating. The strikers were
union actually striking against the union
"hlch Is infested with Communists in high
places and makes life miserable for anti.com-
munists who are forced to join
Inc CLIO people are saying here that the
company should have helped them 70 break
the strike A fadaro1 4,
10 the case and inasmuch as Attorney Gener-
al bloole made clandestine pilgrimage to
the political command post of Sidney Hillman
| OF the CLIO during the Chicago convention.
t.lere is no reason to think the company or
the strikers will get a fair and impartial
break from the Department of Justice
Let us assume that the company did yield
easily to avoid violence in the streets And let
us assume that it's deeper motive was to dis
ereolt the Transport Workers union by show
ing mat 1t couldn't control its members and
therefore did not really represent them. Would
nj you do all you could to damage Commu-
nistic outfit?
10 the first supposition, the CO. ITSELF has
given the answer many times; and it's present
position is a reversal of its old propaganda.
Hitherto it has always insisted that factories,
utilities and other facilities as Mr.. Biddle
so cleverly calls them, should never resist
any strike, even by a minority, out should
shut down promptly This usually helps the
union to win and the management is held re-
sponsible for violence and bloodshed caused
by the strikers if it doesn't fold up right away.
But this time, the CLIO says the mana cement
was guilty of something real bad What it
means is that the company should have help
ed the union out of nasty problem within its
own ranks An American company should
help Communists. Are we crazy?
Why should an employer help his enemy?
4 Whv hasn't he the same right 70 enjoy his enc
my's pain that the enemy has to chortle over
| his headaches?
Enemy is the correct word in this case,
although not in all relationships between en-
) Movers and unions. This is mean, tricky
union. and here was the company's chance,
by passive action, to strike it a blow.
After all, the employers the stockholders,
are Americans They are badly handicapped
: bv the laws favoring unions over all other ele-
ments Of the community and this unique
+ chance to harm union, not by breaking a
strike, but by submitting and encouraging the
strikers.
It may be found that the company consulted
strike experts There are such people on in
dustrys side, too, just as there are renowned
experts on strike strategy On the unions side
But again. why not?
If this is found to be the case, the compa-
lny's action doubtless will be exploited by tho