The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-02-06
Bv WESTBROOK PEGLER


Think
BY WESTBROOK PEGLER
copyright, 1885, by King Features Syndcate.)
Cecile B. De Mile, noted producer of
movies and stage plays and radio performer,
has been barred from the air by decision
of Judge Emmett H. Wilson, of the Superior
court of Los Angeles. Wilson upheld an as
sessment of one dollar levied all mem
bers of the American Federation of Radio Art
lists for the purpose of opposing a proposed
amendment to the California constitution in
the fall election De Mile refused to pay the
dollar. The amendment would have forbidden
the closed union shop 1t was beaten at the
polls largely by money collected under COM
pusion from workers who had to pay varying
assessments or forfeit their jobs and liveli-
hood Similar amendments have been adopted
in Florida and Arkansas and a bill to the
same effect has been offered in the Arizona
legislature.
These measures have been denounced by
both ignorant and highly intelligent political
propagandists of the New Deal union auxil-
liary as Fascist schemes against the freedom
of labor. They are in fact anti Fascist and
anti Communist because their purpose is to
break the grip of government, federal and
state, on unions and to restore to all citizens
rights which have been abrogated by these
private organizations Mrs Frances Perkins
once conceded this fact when, at an annual
convention and drinking festival of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor. in Portland, Ore.
she hid away in the dull and sitting text
of an official address, a statement of her be-
lief that the individual worker had right to
earn his living even though he refused to Join
union.
All the pompous ignoramuses of the union
movement oppose such amendments and laws
but some of the intelligent men advocate them
off the record. Such unloneers admit IN con-
fidence, to me that both the Wagner act and
the compulsory closed shop, supported by law,
splinters of the Nazi Fascist theology
because they delegate to the government
functions which unions should perform o
themselves or forfeit their reason for existence.
Such men are mean and venal traitors to the
workers under their control because the rea-
son why they will not take their stand in
public is that they would be smeared as Fas-
cists by terroristic propaganda and might lose
their easy jobs and wages Their guilt is the
greatest because, for sordid pay and from
weakness of character. they submit to con-
dition which they believe to be ruinous.
The California judge refused to give De-
Mile an injunction forbidding the union to sus-
pend him. His excuse was the specious deci-
sion that money spent to defeat a proposition
On the public ballot in a state election was
not spent for political purpose. Politics is the
science and art of government and the pro-
trolling document of the government of Cali
fornia.
Pursuant to this ruling, not only art but
political and religious expression may be reg
llated and suppressed by the lowest criminals
the most ignorant union gangsters and the
advocates of the most tratorous ideologies
No provision in law requires that officers of
unions, which unwilling citizens are compelled
to join. must be men of good character. Holly
he Dfl
Willie Bioffs criminal dictatorship and from
the Los Angeles council of the A. F. of L.
Bioff received formal sympathy when he went
to Jail for white slavery. No law forbids an
avowed Nazi or Communist to hold such union
office.
No law edits union constitutions for conform
ty with the constitution of the United States
Or any state. By Wilson'S reasoning here,
small group of Nazis or Communists in con-
troll of the California Federation of Labor or
the CLIO could command all members to con-
tribute any amount per capita to promote the
passage of Nazi or Communist substitute
for the California State constitution. Accord
ing to his reasoning that would not be
politician purpose. Indeed, few years ago.
he state CLIO did advocate reputation of the
Federal and State constitutions and the sub
'titution of a dictatorship embodied in the
lam n eggs amendment.
1t, by authority of this judges dictum,
ulng group should demand 1000 or S., 600
Der head for the promotion or defeat of any
UGH non POLITICAL measure, those who re-
used or couldn't pay would be suspended, like
De Mile in the present case. Nor would the
lnion officers have to account for the money
In this case the assessment was ordered by
ne board of directors, not by a vote of the
members. No law requires that the board of
directors shall be elected by the members
3ioff was not
How, now, could this decision authorize cen
orship and regulation of art and political and
eligious expression?
The first step has been taken Ali audible
rtlsts even now must be members under COM
ulsion. Logically, then, all broadcasters, in
luding political commentators and clergymen,
ould be compelled to join or remain silent.
hat being accomplished, the Nazi Com
nunists of unionism, could order exorbitatnt
assessments for such purpose that which
Vilon here found to be non POLITICAL and
imply drive them off the air.
Or, finally and more simply any artist who
ang a song or delivered theatrical nonolog
n sketch hostile to the policies of the non
elective ruling group, or any political speaker
" minister so offending, could be tried by the
BOARD of directors on the familiar charge of
'un unionlike conduct and silenced, by
suspension.
Judge Wilson invites this result when he holds
hat proposal to exempt them from COM
oulsory membership is not political issue.
ca THEV g A "