Detroit evening times., 1945-08-28
WESTBROOK
PEGLER
Fair
Enough

WHEN Ernest Bevin. the new
w foreign secretary of the
British government. spoke Of
that very much overworked
word. democracy" and said II
appeared to need definition"
he gave a faint yank at the
string which might unravel the
entire costume Of hypocrisy and
fraud from the takers OF the
world.
1t is the name OF an evil po-
litical system whereby the ma.
jority rules without regard for
the rights OF minorities.
II has no standing In the
American system Of government
which, from the beginning. has
been Republican.
France. too, was q republic
which degenerated into democ-
racy, then slavery under dicta.
torship.
COME Americans who thought
iessly or stupidity accept de-
mecrary as definition of our
form of government, insist,
when cornered, that they do not
mean pure democracy but rep
resentatlve democracy.
II is an interesting paradox
that the most vehement advo-
Gates OF democracy or majority
rule are also most clamorous
about the rights Of minorities
which under true democracy.
have no rights.
Slavery can exist under de-
mocracy for under true demo-
cratic procedure II is necessary
only for a ma jority 10 vote TO
enslave the rest.
The majority NAV vote them
selves the earned possessions Of
the minority. In the practice
Of unlonlsm here. a man who
floutS the will OF the ma lority,
how ever repugnant, may he
barred forever from employ.
ment.
uERE is another queer para
IL dox IN the fact that many
OF the unions which CRY that
they are democracies are actu-
ally republics but stlll infict
abuses on the weak and help
less.
They conduct regular cleo
tions which are. theoretically.
fair and honest, in which the
outstanding men are repeatedly
returned tn office.
They presently becoms 20
powerful. however. thanks 10
their superior intelligence and
their opportunity 10 devots
themselves 10 nothing else but
union politics, that they manage
To hold their jobs for long
terms. sometimes for life.
They pass laws. with or with
out authority from their con-
stltutions. which give them per-
sonal power over the union
treasures and, in some cases,
prerogatlves which are truly
royal and not legally given even
10 the president OF the United
States in relation 10 the Ameri-
can people.
Those states which forbade
that governor should serve
more than one or two consecu-
tive terms took this precaution
10 prevent ambitious rascals
from developing greater power
than the people,
THE founding fathers neglec-
ted 10 provide against this
but the George Washington trs-
dition nevertheless persisted un-
til Franklin u. Roosevelts
political power. developed by
appeals 10 prejudice. self-pity
and greed, became so great that
he could elect himself for
third term and, finally.
fourth.
This autocratic government
of Republican unions does not
necessarily reveal a flaw in the
system.
What II docs represent is
abuse Of the system which could
be prevented by constitutional
provisions
As millions Of workers have
seen. however, u is almost i'm
possible 10 correct such abuse
by any action short of revolu-
tion. once II has developed
Those who have cried De-
mocracy and moro democracy"
these last IL years have q
strange and special version OF
the maiority."
To them INA iority" ~ any
gwen group means a ma iority
Of those present Al particular
meeting.
IN ONE spectacular case, an
L industry employing 300 men
and women received demands
from a union representing 10
per cent of the pay roll
This minority called a meet