Evening star., 1945-07-04
Party Contributor
Demanding Reforms
His Letter on Resistance
to Unions Is Quoted
By Frank r. Kent

uClukC VI SbllhcS tlu WhI lliuuodA ASc hS
we'll as OUT with which the country has
been-and still is-affiicted makes it
clear that showdown in the labor in
dustry situation Is not far off. 1t is
significant that among members of the
House, regardless of party, the comment
is almost wholly unfavorable to the
strikers
In the country generally there is q
greater realization of the completely
phony character of the "no-strike"
pledge. And the intolerable nature of
another labor dominated administration
is being driven home to the people. AS
result, the period in which both parties
have been operating under the lash of
the labor bosses, competing for the labor
vote with concessions that shackle in
dustry and promote injustice, seems about
TO r The best evidence is the out
spo opposition to continuance OF
this .:olicy by men of both parties, not
in active politics nor holders of public
office, but regular and liberal con-
tributors to the party treasures. Re-
plying recently to a request for funds
from his national committee, one of
these wrote that he had made up his
mind to make no further party con-
tribution. State or national, until his
party had ceased to be pusillanimous in
its attitude toward labor and become
honest.
Proposes Series Of Principles.
To this end he suggested the adop-
ton of certain principles, declaring his
purpose to contribute as literally as he
could to the party which embraces
them. II neither is courageous enough
to act along these lines, then he would
contribute to neither. Here are the
things he wants his party-or the other
to advocate: % The right of a man
to work, irrespective of race or creed
or the fact that he does or does not
belong to a union. (2) The unequivo-
cal position that Government will neither
connive at nor compel a contract which
establishes a closed shop or the "invol-
untary checkoff," or which compels an
employer to discharge a manwho, having
once been a union man, resigns or fails
to pay his union dues. Such contracts,
if made at all, he said, should be volun-
tary and not compulsory, directly or
indirectly.
(3) The right of an individual to do.
during the hours he works, as much or
as little work as he wishes for as high
or as small wage as he is willing to
accept. "a The unequivocal pledge
that Government will not pay ''unem-
ployment benefit" to individuals who
strike or refuse to work when they have
voluntarily left employment or have
been coerced so TO do by their union
bosses. (5) The unequivocal promise
to abolish government by bureaus where
the examiner, on evidence that would
not be admissible in any court, may
make finding of facts which Is bind
ing upon the court of appeal. In con-
Guiding his letter, this contributor tells
his party chairman that there are, OF
course, other fundamental principles
which should be embraced but that he
will be content if his party makes a
start with those above suggested. Prob
ably" he wrote, "a party proposing
these things would meet with initial
defeat. However it would ultimately
succeed and through its success restore
to citizens the liberties they have lost.
II 1t did not meet with ultimate success,
what difference would it make? Our
country would be destroyed, anyway.
Stresses Power Of Suckers.
Whether one agrees with these views
or not, there are two things to be said
about their presentation to party
chairman by a substantial and regular
contributor. One is that they represent
the practically unanimous views of the
Substantial contributors" of both par
ties, who have not got and do not want
political jobs of any kind. The other
is that II all-or a considerable number
OF this class (the substantial centribu-
tors who believe in these principles)
follow the example of the writer of this
letter and make their contributions con-
tingent upon the adoption of party
policy with which they are in accord.
they certainly will get action.
There is no quicker or surer way Of
getting action from party organization
than by interfering with the flow of its
finances. For more than II years the
men OF this substantial contributor class
in both parties have been giving money
to party organizations which turned
their respective parties in a direction
they did not want to go and made them
stand for things in which they do not
believe. This would seem to make fools
OF these financial supporters. One of
them suddenly has decided to stop being
sucker" If a few others followed his
example. the effect would be felt all
down the ne-particularly as the
course they suggest is distinctly in the
public interest and reflects popular feel
ing. The labor unions have been playing
the same old game in the same old way
that was so long and so successfully
played by the old Anti-Saloon League.
1t Is national modification that they
should be able to get away with It,
A Greet Moss Migration
From the st. Louis Post Dispatch.