The Wilmington morning star., 1945-09-21
Nv wEsrBRooK pEGLER

of making people Think
Bv WEsTBROOK PEGLER
Copyright by King Features Syndicate..)
NEW YORK,-"The boys a patronizing
name for the American fighting men, are
coming home to learn that one OF the bene-
fits beoueathed to them by their late Com
mander-in-Chief, Mr.. Roosevelt, is unemploy-
ment decreed by handful OF his political
henchmen who did not 60 to war.
One Of the reasons frankly, stated for the
total deferment of many of them was that
they were indispensable to the industrial war
effort. Ostensbly they exerted themselves to
prevent ,strikes and other stoppages and de-
laws in production This was blackmail against
the nation, the proposition being that if they
were drafted they would cause their followers
to strike in protest.
But even though they were excused, and
notwithstanding the notorious no-strike pledge
to Roosevelt shortly after Pearl Harbor, thou
sands of strikes did occur and the high
unioneers and the government boldly lied to
the fighting services and to the civilian popu-
lation. -
For the benefit of the corrupt union po-
litica1 auxiliary which was collecting hundreds
Of millions of dollars from the taxpayers by
way Of the workers pay envelopes and using
part Of it to support Roosevelt's party, they
constantly misrepresented the actual number
and effect Of such strikes. strike was not
a strike unless a strike had formally been
declared.
Thousands Of Walkouts and slow-downs
which were 'unauthorized' therefore were
not included in the deceitful statistics of the
government nor were "epidemics'' in which,
by coincidence, all the employees on given
job became sick of mysterious malady, un-
known to medical science, which could be
cured only by a raise in pay or an adequate
supply of strawberry soda for toilers whose
morale suffered from the monotony of lemon
or the colas.
Moreover, even in the cases of recognized
strikes, the hours lost as reported to the pub
lie were only the idle hours of the strikers,
themselves. The idleness imposed on enor-
mously greater numbers in factories which
could not operate for lack Of key materials
was not counted as strike loss.
Only by the most fastidious mathematics
could it be determined whether the United
Auto Workers Of the CIO had the worst record
Of non.performance and nul-fulfillment. New
ertheless, 1t prospered as robust political
war baby and now with "the boys" coming
home, n unemployment, reconversion and
the resumption OF commerce tagging from
governmental neglect, the U.A.W. has COM
PEELED the Ford Motor company to lay Oft
$4,000 workers and retard the production of
vehicles which 1.-THE boys'' will want to build
and sell and buy, because another company
manufa curing gears for Ford, had refused to
re-employ four men discharged for throwing
two foremen out Of a factory.
Even the Roosevelt War Labor Board, new
er impartial in such disputes but always load
ed against the employers had upheld the gear
company in this refusal and the U. A. w. had
denounced the strike at the gearworks as ''un-
authorized" Nevertheless it was real strike
and the Ford company, after long patience
with the mischievous provocations Of union
disturbers during the war, seized the oppor-
tunity to throw on the union responsibility for
fragrant and possibly tumultuous interior
ence with the immediate ambition Of most
war veterans to get back to work. earn money
and drive new car.
Since the wars began. Ford had given in
to the U.A.W. on every 'front.' Henry Ford
ST., stunned his rivals when he gave the
union the closed shop but explained that he
did it for two reasons: Ito prevent blood
shed by lawless political mobs such as ter
rorized Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania in
the organizing campaigns of the CLIO and,
ITO maintain production Cor the war.
Throughout the war, nevertheless, the man.
agement had been impaired by threats Of
great troubles over petty complaints, and by
recognized, in fact Wanted immunity of
unions to penalties for violations of law and
contracts. It was known weeks ago that when
Japan was beaten, Ford would come to a
stand, insist on his rights as contracting
party in agreements with unions and on the
first valid provocation close down completely
to dramatic the power of irresponsible unions
to inflict distress and danger on the whole
community.
The same U.A.W. is threatening to strike
General Motors and throw 300, 600 more work
ers out OF jobs to win an increase Of 30 per
cent in wages, having ear-marked four mil
lion dollars for this contest. This money came
out OF public taxes paid as war wages to
workers whom the Roosevelt government
compelled to join the union. Now this gift
from Roosevelt may be used to keep return
ing veterans out of jobs not only in the motor
industry but in countless other lines as the
ramlfications Of a strike expand through in
ter-dependent activities across the nation
War veterans, who were going to 60 through
those picket lines and ask permission of no
unloneer or racketeer to earn an honest liv-
ing, can do nothing because President Tru-
man inherited the curse of Roosevelt betrayal
and thus far lacks the honesty to disown a
powerful but predatory ally. a
The veterans, as taxpayers, if not imnedi-
ately then in the future. will pay the cost of
this treachery against themselves done with
the submission of the President when they
pay the unemployment compensation to idle
strikers who, nowadays. are not maintained
by the unions that call them out but by the
public treasures.
~ 80 n -