The Wilmington morning star., 1944-05-23
BY WEsTBROOK PEGLER

BY WESTBROOK PEGLER
NEW YORK.-If the war labor situation is
as grave as Mr.. Forrestal Secretary of the
Navy, and Robert Patterson, Undersecretary
OF War, say it is-and Mr.. Stimson already
mas used the word ANARCHY in this connec-
tlon-then. plainly, the country has been de-
ce1ved by the national government
.Forrestal and Patterson spoke strongly be-
1ore the senate military affairs committee in
FAVOR OF labor draft law for war industries
Mr. otlnSon faVors one, too, and Donald Mel
son. chairman of the War Production Board.
appearing with Forrestal and Patterson said
there was now desperate shortage of men
IN 1oundrles which are producing weapons.
1t IS important to note that these men are
not in politics or concerned with unionisn1, one
way or another. Foorestal has had an inter-
eStlng personal experience in that his wife
was held up and robbed of jewelry a few
years ago by New York mob which included
union official who had the effrontery to
try to levy on his subjects for a fund to paw
Tor his appeal. However, none of the men
VINO are thus directly and solely engaged in
s sue dutles has ever expressed an attitude on
the closed shop, the union security or the
maintenance of membership issues. They just
say they need more industrial manpower than
they are getting and hold that the only safe
solution is labor draft.
President Roosevelt also has proposed q Ia
Dor draft but with provisos which were obvi-
ously inserted with an eye to the political
campaign, and Mrs. Roosevelt has taken such
a serious view of the labor shortage that she
mas suggested a draft of women as well as
men.
Not being in politics. Stimson Forrestal. Pat.
terson, Nelson and others who have asked
for labor draft have ignored the question
whether men so drafted should have to Join
unions and, in most cases, under coercion,
RI haV~,N -
luno Ihey surely have their opinions and
considering their background, it may be as
sumed that they against such compulsion.
Inc President has said nothing on the sub.
ject.
Yet objection to compulsory union member
ship for drafted labor is the most serious OBJ
stacle In the way of the proposal in the popu
lar NINA. Nowadays, even discharged serv.
Ice men are beginning to report resentfi1,v
that having served their country in horrible
war, they find that their right to work for
It's preservation is subject to a political tax
Tor the campaign fund of the party in power
ana Tor private organizations having on the
whole, bad record of lawlessness.
In Washington, Thursday Mr. Patterson told
the senators that the rate of strikes had been
ABNORMAL IN l943 when there were more than
o'ooo OF them, and was continuing high. On
the other hand the President in his lecture
TO the press on the Montgomery Ward case
few days ago. said that the total percenta 90
OF strikes had been the whole, low, which
is statement SO vague as to be almost with
out meaning. But certainly does not mean
mat the percentage, or rate has been alb
normally high; and in this conflict of state
nehts someone IS either exaggerating, or min
ln1lzlng. Patterson has no political motive to
serve by exaggeration.
mere is further strong objection to the labor
uraIt from the union bosses of all three i'm
portant groups with the exception of the cono.
munlsts of the CO. The communists are for
1t. However, the A. F. of L. and the non
communist elements of the CLIO are against
~ tlle uial. lor number of reasons, soo~e of
them not plainly stated but concealed. Their
chief stated objection is strangely idealistic.
coming from men who use complusion con-
stantly They say the labor draft would insti-
tute involuntary servitude, meaning slavery.
!helr strongest reason however, is that they
tear that the labor draft would bring show
down on the question of compulsory member
ship, campaign contributions and other taxes
for private organizations and that in the
showdown, the people would win, Which would
be a great blow to their cherished closed shon
and its variations.
Is the strike rate abnormally high or is the
percentage,' the WHOLE low? If it is abb
normally high then the President was incor-
rect and the famous no-strike pledge of the
A. F. of L. and CLIO has been flouted so often
that the privileges granted to the unions in
consideration of that pledge have been for
feited.
From neutral sources we learn German
Field Marshal Georg Won Kuechler has been
jailed by the Nazis. Hitlers intuition must
have pulled another boner.
One rubber substitute, we're told is made
OF sweet potatoes, peanuts and sugar cane
1hat should make tires, says Grandpappy
JENKINS that look good enough to eat.
Admiral Horthy, like SO many of Hitler's
pals seems to have wound up by becoming
one OF Adofs permanent guests
The Jap drive into India is called 'token"
invasion. But that amt the way the folks
In Tokyo will hear of it.
A diet of carrots has been recommended as
cold preventative. Might work-for whoever
saw rabbit sneeze?
Postwar passenger planes it is predicted
may fly $4,000 miles, nonstop. That should ,
give people a chance to go around in circles !
and the world at the same time.
The super crossword puzzle would be one ,
made up entirely of the names of Russian }
strategic points and Pacific atol1