Detroit evening times., 1945-05-14
FAIR
ENOUGH
BY yWestbrook
PeeIer

GAN FRANCISCO, May 12-
- Yesterday is yesterday" he
said, but today is today and
tom morrow is tomorrow"
three-ply platitude which might
send us off TO an inauspicious
start unless I hurry 10 explain
that Roger Lapham. the mayor
of San Francisco. and 4 CAPITAL
ist who licked the rowdy union-
eers at the polls, was express
ing willingness to forget the
past and hope for the future.
Yesterday" was very bad
time in San Francisco, beau
tiful and highly civilized city
which had been selected by the
Communist reyolutionaries and
a reckless crowd of old-line
American leg-breskers as the
Victim of their ambition.
As a ship owner in a large
way OF business. he had fought
the revolution in the violent
phase of the New Deals expert
ment in the use of mob action
10 achieve political purposes.
These uprosrs included brief
general strike in which Amer
leans who wanted TO work
didn't dare, and rule was LAID
down by the experimental black
shirts Of A miscellaneous regime
that certain few restaurants
might remain open but only for
the convenience OF unton rnem-
bers.
They we're complicated hs the
hangover from The Tom Mooney
case and other old controver-
sizes, crimes and economic
wrongs and blythe dishonesty
of srbrtrry commissioned BY The
government 10 settle matters
impartially in favor of the
unions.
They included strike of 100
days along the water front in
which Communist leaders re-
fused 10 arbitrate lest peace dc.
pr1ve them OF that anxiety. pri-
Nation and excitement which
are the traditional prerequisite
OF revolution.
0NE night during the long
water front strike. Lspham
went down IN speak 10 the
strikers AS representative of
the water front employers. They
had invited the enemy 70 send
one OF their number 10 state
their side Of the case.
Mr.. Lapham vas not the only
one who was willing to face
them. but there were others in
the group who said IL would do
no good because any one who
did appear would be driven
from the platform.
They boo~d me once or
twice" he said but I figured
that. having invited me. thew
would have to let me speak my
piece. And they did. too. They
poiiccd their own meeting and
gave me a very courteous hear
ing. and q big hand"
Mr.. Lapham did have hid
den ace. He was welcomed by
John Dore. the mayor Of Seat
tie. an old Harvard classmate
who had known him as MEM
ber Of the freshman debating
team and one who could handle
himself we'll IN controversy.
Dore was attorney for Dave
Beck of Seattle. the agent ~
old Dan Tobin, president Of the
international Union Of Team
Sters.
So the atmosphere was not
entirely bitter and Lapham
came off with honor for his
courage in confronting crowd
aroused 10 dangerous poSsibili-
ties and for the reasonable dig
nifty Of his presentation. Mrs.
Lapham went with him.
SINCE then. under the pres
~ sure Of the war. the Com
munlsts have moderated their
revolutionary tactics. After all,
Russia is, or was, in II. too,
and, although Russia was not
fighting Japan and the Pacific
war therefore has not been an
immediate concern of the Com
munists, erican public
opinion could be alienated by
wanton strikes and too obvious
interference with loading and
shipping. There are so many
sons. brothers, fathers and nus
bands OF Americans fighting out
there.
The change in San Francisco is
apparent TO the naked eye and
IN the nerves. The city still u
highly unionized. 10 be sure. but
IN Lapham's vote of $1,000
against $4,000 for his nearest
opponent in a field of four prin-
cipal candidates whose total ag-
gregate was 125 900, he received
the vote of confidence and hope