The Wilmington morning star., 1944-06-21
BY wEsTBRooK PEGLER

BY wEsTBROOK PEGLER
NEW YORK.-In another of his little, home
spun Hoosier homilies to the Republican party,
Wendell Willlie took up the subject of labor
or unionism and disposed of it without even
touching it.
Either Mr.. Willkie doesn't know what he
is talking about or he does know and will
not be frank I think he knows.
''Now that labor is reaching maturity" he
wrote ''all labor leaders must recognize what
some leaders are saying-witness the recent
statements Of Mr.. Thomas and Mr.. Dubinsky
that labor must become responsible, must
drive from its midst its racketeers, adopt
democratic procedures and account for its
funds and activities both to the public and
to its own membership. And, it the reluctant
few refuse to follow democratic procedures
then, under appropriate legislation, such mat
tiers must be regulated"
Let us take this nonsense apart.
Note first, please, that Mr.. Willkie hasn't
the gunption to say this for himself. Instead
all labor leaders must recognize what some
leaders are saying and so forth. He doesn't
advocate regulation by law. He says this
must come if something else doesn't happen.
AS and who is this Thomas to whom he pays
such dignified respect? Thomas is president
of the United Auto Workers Of the CLIO which
predominates in the manufacture Of planes
and vehicles for the war. His union has
shameful record Of strikes over contemptibly
petty issues. There have been JAW strikes
over the smoking rules in factories, strikes
to make rapid, efficient, conscientious work.
ers slow down, strikes over personal scuffle
between professional union hecklers and plant
foremen and one big strike over the union
affiliations of teamsters delivering carbonated
bellywash to the stalwart patriots of his fol-
lowing so that they may suck sweet water
through straws at their work like children at
a circus His sub-leaders include some of the
dirtiest communist conspirators in the land
who tied up production in bottle-neck plants
when Hitler and Stain were allies and I'M
doubtedly cost the lives Of American, British
and, eventually, even Russian fighters. These
men, nevertheless still retain their union Of
fees and their deferments in the draft as es-
sential men.
That gives you a rough idea of the type
Of union leader to whom Mr.. Willkie makes
bow.
And what did Thomas say? He said his SUBJ
jects had better cut out the monkey business
lest the returning fighters take their revenge
on the whole labor movement. And that was
saluted as great statesmanlike declaration
Most of us know who Dubinsky is but for
the benfit of those who don't be it said that
he is president of the Garment Workers and
is flying high on the gashladders of an in
flated reputation.
His union has collected from 81 a head to
an entire days pay, ranging from So to $11,
all over the place for various European re-
lief funds and underground or espionage activi-
ty in the enemy countries. Like 1t or not,
American workers had to shower down. Or
dnarily, Dubinky gisves strict account of his
money but in this secret activity Of cours,
that can't be done. But by what right do a
lot of men with their roots still in European
soil presume to levy a compulsory tax on
American workers for espionage in foreign
countries? This is dangerous business and may
be illegal for we have laws against traffic
with the enemy and private relations with
foreign governments. Anyway, none of this &C
tivity including the charity is proper func-
ton of an organization chartered by American
public opinion for the sole purpose Of bargain
ing with American employers on behalf of
American workers.
Accountancy doesn't guarantee legitimacy in
| the use of funds accounted for. Suppose a
union taxes its members million dollars to
be split among the executive council and ac-
counts for it all to the penny. Does that legit-
J imize the scheme?
| Dubinsky accounts for the vacation funds
contributed by the employers under union COM
pulsion. But that doesn't mean that each mem.
Der received the full amount paid in to this
| individual credit And the tedious repetition to
the word "democratic'' ignores the fact that
Dubinsky's union arrogantly commands its
members, regardless of their personal politics
to turn out for political rallies for radical can.
| didates under penalty of a cash fine for failure
I think Mr.. Willkie knows all this and so ]
say he is trimming when he would have the
republicans believe that he is earnestly in
tent on destroying menace to the Liberties
and rights of every man and woman in the
United States by the high-sounding but mean
and activities.
The remedy is to forbid certain methods
of collecting funds, certain uses of the funds
and certain activities but don't expect Mr.