Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-06-06
FAIR
ENOUGH
BY Westbrook
| Peeler

THOMAS DE LORENZO. born
L Harry Posner. and knowp9f
his mysterious convenience
several other names, goes 10
trial in federal court in New
York shortly. He has been in
dicted for alleged false swear
ing on two occasions in dealings
with the government both as a
war plant worker and as an
official of local 365 OF the
United Auto Workers OF the
Go.
He is a liar on his oath by
his own admission before a con-
gressional committee which in
vestigated production failure in
the Brewster plants. And he
said last year that if 1t were a
question of sacrificing the lives
of American naval fighting men
or advancing the interests OF
his union he would let the
fighters die.
This is the union whose MEM
bers last week staged a false
strike, = sit-in demonstration
with emotional banners. at the
Brewster plants. demanding
that the navy or some other
department award further con-
tracts to Brewster 10 prolong
their jobs.
They include many OF the
people who stalled. loafed and
otherwise. deliberately and by
organized system. sabotaged
airplane production so out
rageously that. at last. follow
ing the denunciation of De Lo-
renzo in Washington, Henry
Kaiser was asked TO take
charge of the company and try
to get results.
II AISER. UNDERSTANDABLE. de-
IN spised De Lorenzo. but had
10 put up with him and did his
best.
This union reelected De Lor.
EMO president, even after 1
public revelation of the int J
ter's character, thus giving him
a vote of confidence and repu-
dating every American fighting
man in the war.
With some individual excep-
tons, including employees who.
in the Washington hearings,
were said 10 have been ashamed
10 face their neighbors with
sons in the service. they were.
in spirit, no better than the
shifty. selfish liquor peddler who
saw the draft coming and moved
into the union racket for safety.
classifying every document that
citizens must fill out and sign.
IN ALL the loud publicity
i which attended the sit-in
strike in Long Island City and
townsville. Pa, last week. the
name OF De Lorenzo was al
most suppressed lest the public
be reminded that this was the
union with the most disgracetul
= record OF cold-blooded and self
ish betrayal OF the fighters IN.
the whole sorry story OF union
ism in the war.
Instead. 10 take the heat OF
and diver, attention from the
unions bast. Richard T. Frank
ensteen moved prominently into
the scene 10 conduct the nego-
tiations in Washington which
now. apparently, will result IN
some appeasement OF the slack
ers al the expense OF the patri-
otto body OF the American pear
pie. through the ALLEGATION OF
further orders 10 Brewster.
Brewster has been a shock
ingly bad company throughout,
but the fact remains, as brought
out in the congressional inquiry,
that De Lorenzo had been given
a union contract by the War
Labor Board under which -
company could have opera -
efficiently without the good wIsi
and sincere cooperation which
this adventurer never was will
ing to give.
He could dictate to draft
boards which men were 10 be
deferred or exempted, and in
viting temptation to draft work.
ers who didn't want TO 60. he
could certify that he, himself,
was indispensable.
And he could tell the navy
representatives to go 10 hell
when they tried 10 wheedle pro-
duction out of him. and did.
MUCH somber editorial COM
Vl ment has assumed that this
was straight case OF labor
liquidation. causing sudden mass
unemployment, and warning
OF other and worse mass firings
and layoffs TO come.
II was nothing of the kind. IT
was a special case in which the
navy department had justified
patriotic grudge TO settle with
thousands of contemplate slack
ers with no claim on the respect,
sympathy or other consideration
of their decent fellow citizens.
The navy, handcuffed by
President Roosevelts political
patronage over unions. however
bad. had tried every way posi-
BILE TO induce De Lorenzo TO do
the decent thing.
Finally in desperation the
navy was forced to the humili-
ating expedient of appealing Sc
cretlv 70 neWspA Der rpDOrters TO