Detroit evening times., 1945-10-27


which was superior 10 that of
Harry Bridges Pacific Coast
Union OF CIO longshoremen.
LIE KNEW that Bridges union
= WAS constantly trying 10
penetrate his Atlantic ports. and
that Bridges MAS practically
committing between California
and the Atlantic.
He knew that the national
maritime commission and u
war Shipping Administering ~
through the influence Of social
and political pets Of The Roose-
Vets. was favorinG tho Conn
muniSts OF the maritime and
waterfront unions.
/ was present. not in the
meeting but thereaboutS. when
Ryan was elected president Of
his union for life and was enter
tanned by the blank aStonlSh-
ment Of some of his subordinate
international officers when he
introduced me as a friend not
only OF Joe Ryan but OF labor.
He knew | was anti-racket
hut I was anti-CommupiSt, too.
and II was not merely 20 assure
himself a life Job a. $50 600
-hp-r rad ptecved himself
president for life.
He also wanted 10 relieve hlr.
self Of the need 10 fight 1nsur-
gents within his own union so
that he could use hofh- hands
fighting the Communists
0F COURSE. il is improper
" that a union preSi en I
should he elected or cause him.
self 10 be elected for life
Few Americans realize as
they should, that racketeer!ng
in unions is Illegal
Suppose that regional boss
of Ryan'S-union Compels the
stevedorey ~ buy liquor AZ A
store run by his wife or-brother
under penalty Of expulsion, and
charges them more than A fair
price That IS a racket but the
law allows II.
Trading elsewhere could he
called "un-unionhke conduct"
punishable by expulsion
But the bollermakcrs union
compelled hundreds Of thou
sands OF ship builders 70 buy
life insurance through the union
on which the son OF the unio
president received a fabuly
commission
And If they fell in arrears
with their tribute 10 the preSi-
dents son on the first Of the
month, out they went,
GO LIFE tenure for Ryan and
- racketeering. as such, were
/ not the real objections OF The
Communists 10 RyanS control
of the loading on the New York
waterfront He was offensive
T because he was defending the
Atlantic ports against commu-
nlSm
William F.. Warren. The rank
snd-filer who led the New York
revolt. has now repudiated his
I own strike and announced that
/ he was imposed on by Nathan
Witt. a left wing attorney, for
merly secretary Of the National
Labor Relations Board
Not until he learned through
this column did Warren know
Wits background and under
stand the manner in which his
personal rebellion against Ryans
life-presidency and the rackcts
was being exploited in the in
tcrests of leftwing unions in
tested by Communists.
DEFORMS are overdue. but
IL Ryan's union is typical not
exceptional. And in the matter
Of democracy II Is much more
reasonable than Curran's \.
NJ. L. "A candidate for Office IN
the n. NJ. L..
Must nave Deen a nicmbei icr
one year and -saiior-for two
years. and these provisions
neatly exclude practically the
entire body of young Americans
on the war shipping feet from
opposing dominant CommUH~S
IN the elections. a
In fact. most Of them
members only by compulslon :.
the RooseveltS' party-line war
shipping administration. Never
theless, without a right to Vote
oh the question. many of them
had TO quit work under union,
orders TO assist in Bridges in
vasion. For refusing TO obey
they could have been reported
TO their draft boards by the
union for induction after faith
ful war service in the merchant
ariVn