The Wilmington morning star., 1944-10-19
Fair Enough

II 4
(Kditsr's Note.-The Star and the News accept no
responsibility for the personal views Of Mr. Psrer
and eften disagree with them ~ much ss many Of
bill, readers. His articles the good purpose Of
making people think.
BY WEsTBROOK PEGLER
Copyright 1914 by King Features Syndicate)
NEW YORK.-The recent national conven-
ton of the United Auto Workers of the CO.
voted to remove from office Lew Michener
its regional director on the West coast. who
has long been identified with the Harry Bridg-
es, or communist faction.
This development in Michener's case. sets
in motion a train of thought. !
Kitchener was one of the most violent lead
ers of the communist instruction, so describ-
ed by President Roosevelt, himself, at the
plant Of North American Aviation in Ingle-
wood, Cal, in 1910 when the United States
was beginning its armament program. an eff
fort beset on all sides by sabotage under COM
munist union auspices, mainly those of the
CLIO.
Mr.. Roosevelt finally sent the Army to drive
off the rioters SO that American workers, men
and women, could build and learn to build
fighting planes. This blockade was not a la
Dor dispute between the company and the en-
ployees but, as the President said, an obstruc-
ton of the American program of prepared
ness, directed from foreign source, Russia
being at that time in state of collaboration
with Nazi Germany. The American coy1mu-
nists who now are found in Mr.. Roosevelts
camp, violently cooperating with Sidney Hill
man, held the war to be an imperialist cam
paign and, in the United States, their plan
was to hamper conversion from the industries
Of peace to those Of war so that Hitler could
beat Britain and then turn, in full strength
and, possibly, with Russia's help, against this
nation.
After the 1nsurrectlon was broken, the Unit
ed Auto Workers saw the political necessity
Of mild rebuke to Kitchener, so he was
removed from his position and made ineligible
for elective" office in the union for one year.
Then, to circumvent its own order, the union
gave him an ''appointive'' position as assistant
to his own successor In this combination the
successor was a stooge and Kitchener resumed
his old powers after a brief interval. Within
a year he was restored to full standing ION
the national executive body Of the uU.gI.4W,
and to his old job as West coast director.
Since them although physically fit. childless
though married, and only IS years old at
present, Kitchener has received draft defer
ments on the ground Of essentially in the
war industrial effort. Last year he was called
for induction but his case was appealed to
Washington and Maj. Gen. Lewis B. Hershey,
the director of the draft, gave him defer
ment in the national interest. Kitchener, by
then, had become member Of the regional
War Labor Board.
His essentially might seem to have ended
now with his removal from his latest union
job, not at all in rebuke for the North Ameri-
can sabotage or for communist association,
but for internal political reasons arising from
factional rivalry within the union That his
deferment will end does not follow however,
and seems unlikely, although millions of other
men no more favorably situated financially
have been drafted during the long term OF
his comfortable Immunity.
Another U. A. w. celebrity of the same ex-
citing period. Wyndham Mortimer, also was
"disciplined' in an outward display of patri-
otto righteousness and likewise, was taken
care of after short term in the shadows
Mortimer, as 'organizer' for the U. A. w.,
helped Kitchener in the North American job
and was formally dismissed On Nov. 3,
l941, however, after Hitler had attacked Sta
lin, he was re-employed by the U. A. w. IN
Cleveland as an Organizer at the plant OF
Thompson products, manufacturers OF equip
ment for planes and automobiles for the gov
eminent.
Explaining this action, the president OF the
Cleveland CIO district auto council, said the
boys felt Mortimer should get break
Mortimer later bobbed up in Los Angeles
as director OF the state, county, and munlclpal
workers and organizer for the mine. mill ana
smelter workers, both of the CLIO and both
known for their tolerance Of communist &C.
tivities. And less than month ago, the Los
Angeles county branch of the Communist 20
litical Educational society, elected him wee
president. This society is one OF several dis
guises assumed by the communist party 1or
the purposes and duration OF the new oeal-
political action campaign, since TT party
'dissolved' itself and went underground.
third diligent U. A. w. dlgnltary VINO
tied up conversion in that critical period IS
Harold Christoffel, president of he Allls-
Chalmers union, which strangeled production
of vital equipment, mostly for the Navy, ana
specifically for the defense or Pearl Harpor,
for rs days in 1941, prior to the German blow
at Russia. 1t was shown that thousands OF
fraudulent votes were cast In the oaAotlhg on
the strike but the Department OF Justlce ala
nothing to the union or any OF It's oInclals.
| Christoffel now 81 years OLD, is married ana
has one child but, at last reports, MS VIE
was employed and he was enjoying an occu-
national deferment as an essentlal man In
war industry, although he was otherwise III
and eligible for war. u.
| R. J, Thomas the national president OF the
TT AW. was one of the boss unl1oneers VINO
went to France on political mission In August
10 assure the Army men that all talk OF strikes
and conamunistic tratorism in the union move.
nent at home was pack OF lies oeslgneo
to create disunity and weaken tnelr 1altn ~
their commander in chief.