The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1945-11-16

One of the outstanding problems il
human affairs today is the problem O
internal hatred, Separation and dis
world. Perhaps this is the aftermath
Of war. But the seeds of this state Of
affairs were planted thousands o.
years ago and lie deep in the blacl
and. hidden part of the nature of man
Trade Unions in almost every coun
| try in the world have been the sub
ject of dislike, prejudice and discrimi
nation at some time in their history
and every American trade unionist
who today enjoys the protection and
security of his union and his member
ship in it can give thanks for the
gradual improvement which our free
institutions of law, of church, of the
press have brought about in custom,
in practice and in public opinion.
The Wagner Public Labor Relations
Act removed very effectively the final
legal discrimination against trade I'M
ions by prohibiting the discharge of
any man or woman because of trade
union utilization or activity This,
combined with the requirement of the
act that employees should be per-
mitted freely to form trade unions for
collective bargaining and to choose
their own representatives for collec-
tive bargaining, put the trade unions
and their members at last on free
and safe footing in the social and eco
nomic life of our country. But the
discrimination and prejudice against
trade unions and their members had
been so severe that this law was a
public necessity in 1885.
Today trade unionists not only func-
ton freely in the economic field but
are respected members of every civic
enterprise for the common good. Mem
bers of trade unions, therefore, hav-
ing experienced prejudice and dis
elimination, are amongst the most
sympathetic groups to the idea that
we ought as a nation to free ourselves
of all discriminatory practices and
build up social life of fairness, mutu-
al respect and a live-and-let-live pol
icy.
But prejudice is real and before we
condemn it in others we need to see
what prejudices we have in our own
hearts. Prejudice and antipathy of one
group for another are natural among
primitive people. 1t rests on fear. In
more sophisticated societies it may
rest also on pride, but fear in savage
and simple people drives them to VIC
Ience and alarmed actions against peo-
pie who look and behave differently.
One tribe hates another tribe out of
fear-simple animal fear. Many tribes
establish secret totems by which they
may know those like them who live
according to their standards over a
wide geographical area. Later the
prejudice and fear are associated on
1 broader basis and men fear people |
only when their behavior or appear
ance is markedly different. The black
md white, the red and yellow are
clearly marked. Physical character
sites, shape of features stand out,
lietary habits vary between tribes and
With these differences.
Later, as one group or tribe is more
uccessful in war or in agriculture, the |
ear of the others is based on the fear
If economic destruction, fear of loss
If food, of loss of comfort Later in
modern times fear of loss of jobs
n means of living expresses itself
nd quickly this fear turns into pride
N the part of the more successful as
istinct from the less.
So it comes about that we have in
many foreign countries dislike and
unfairness-even hatred-of
ne economic group, of one nationalist I:
r racial group against another within
he same country, within the same
economic or geographical area. We
-mericans raise our eyebrows and ask
Thy the Bohemians and Creations /,
ant live together peacefully and CO.
peratively within one area. The an
wer is. fear, pride, prejudice. Why
ant the English and Irish in those
ny islands, so economically depend
ut upon each other, cooperate and t
uild mutual trust? The same an 9
Ter c
We often forget in the midst of our $
eproaches to other people that we /
mericans have certain prejudices of
IL own and that there is not always =
goodwill, tolerance be- t
veen groups of different backgrounds, q
uch as that cooperation is needed
II the successful functioning of our
economic life, our social life, and the
of our practice of Democ-