Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-08-21
FAIR
ENOUGH
BY estbrook
PegIer

PegIer
IRON San Francisco word
i comes of new wrinkle
in government. Rear Adm. Har-
old G.. Bowen has applied
sanctions" against several hum
dred union machlniS,s who re-
fused TO do overtime work on
important navy jobs.
The sanctions" were author
izcd by Fred NJ. Vinson; the di-
rector of economic sterilization.
and we learn that the men Will
be reported to their draft
boards, to the War Manpower
Commission and 10 their ration
boards.
Thus. the navy, which under
our way of government. is sup
posed 10 have no authority over
civilians, moves to review the
draft deferments Of these men,
10 blackball them from all work
and. moreover, TO starve them
bv shutting off their food allow
ances. Why else would they be
reported TO their ration boards!
These sanctions, meaning
puniShmentS. are inflicted on
men who are not charged with
any violation of law, much less
tired and convicted.
THE Selective service law was
i intended to select men Tor
the army and navy, not to CO.
cree civilians by intimidation.
Ratloning was adopted TO APP
portion the supply OF food. heat
and gasoline.
The authority of the war
ManpoWer Commission Is vast
and vague, but even here the
fact remains that an American
is supposed 20 be entitled TO a
fair trial IN a regular court on
specific charges OF violation OF
law.
If these men are suspected or
anv offcnSe deserving punish
ment they should be charged.
arrested and tried for certainly
valuable rights are al stake
here.
one Of them AZ least, the
right 20 a fam. individual 5 share
Of food and heat IS not subject
TO revocation by any court, even
during a condemned nurderers
STAY IN the death house
Only a few days ago, IN Phlla-
delphia four men suspected OF
organizing and leading the
TRANSPORTATION strike We're fired
and certified 20 their draft
boards
One IS above the draft age
and he not only loses his years
of seniority with the company.
- - nit
is blackballcd entirely from all
work for the duration Of the
~ar.
IT HAS been only a few years
L since the biologists Of the
New Deal were arguing anGrlly
that a worker had property
rgh, in his Job II was COM
pared 20 a franchise
Some ol lheri saf3 Siaf Il an
employer fired worker he
should be forced 10 pay him a
certain cash sum in addition 20
his earned pay and dismissal
pay, representing the value OF
piece OF property or a right.
namely the job which he had
I lost
II was even argued that
man should have the right 10
sell his Job 70 another and,
then in the zone OF the ridicu-
lou>. situation was injured
IN which a syndicate Of smart
hu>tlorS would buy up for cash
Scverat uTttToUS Ott IUr1vT6UTt
Jobs and lease them back 10
The workers
These actions. against men
who seem 10 have been acting
entirely within their ancient
LEGAL fights abruptly Anut the
concept Of a job as personal
property
Moreover. they violate rights
which existed long before the
adoption Of those laws and regu-
lauonS poeucally known As Ia
horS gains won under the New
Deal.
In Philadelphia there is a
question whether the four men
had violated the Smith Connally
Act Aside from the fact that
some unions openly rcpudiatcd
this law as unconditional and
advised their members 10 ignore
II when II was passed over
Pros dent RooSeVelt'S veto. a
more immediate and more i'm
portant fact cries out
II they are charged with vlo-
lafion Of this act.-theY- should
be tried under it and punished
accordingly Instead they have
been punished Summarily and
there seems 10 he no court 10
which they can appeal because
no court imposed the sentences.
fIvfTL- Li,,iyttr, Ion, aco ,,as