The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-10-19
Fair Enough
nv WESTBROOK PEGLER
opvriqht, 1945, by King Features Syndic

| long shoremen long has anticipated an inva-
sion of the Atlantic ports by Harry Bridges
of the West coast stevedores, in collaboration
with the National Maritime Union whose pres
ident. Joseph Curran holds that the late war
became peoples war only when Russia was
attacked.
The NMU. is ostensibly labor union of
merchant sailors Actually, however, it is also
| a political club for non-seafarng communists
and unassimilated aliens OF various trades
With the end of the war many American
ships are being laid up and their crews laid
off. Thus the MINUS revenues and seafaring
membership must dwindle and political and
revolutionary action invite attention.
During the war, the communists OF the
waterfront quietly penetrated Ryan's ranks.
When Russias victory was assured, an In
surgent movement was engineered to depose
Ryan, and deliver the docks over to the union
of which Bridges is the chief Curran quickly
moved in to help the insurgents Tie up the
port.
In 1910, special committee of the House
of Representatives under the Craftsmanship of
Howard w. Smith, of Virginia, investigated
the National Labor Relations board during the
time that Nathan Witt was an Official there
As one result Edwin S. Smith, the chairman,
and Witt, his close favorite, both resigned.
Smith is now executive director of an organi
zation close to the communist movement
called the National Council Of American-So-
Wet Friendship. Witt entered law practice in
New York. These two were the dominant
characters in the original National Labor Re-
lations board selected by Franklin D. Roose-
welt to administer the Wagner act.
In its report, the Smith committee said that
number of designations, including Wits,
represented "a good beginning for a much
needed reorganization Of the personnel
cat no time,'' the report said, is there
any place in an administrative body Of the
federal government for persons of pronounced
radical PHILOSOPHERS SO strong as to becloud
their perceptions of constitutional rights Of cit
liens with whom they must deal. Much Of the
criticism of the maladministration by the
board would have been avoided had personnel
been selected because of the Individual en-
ployes ability to perform his work in fair
and impartial manner rather than upon
basis of his leftist inclinations or prejudices."
Further along, the committee said, the
committee recommends the prompt dismissal
of all members Of the erstwhile League for
Peace and Democracy and the League Against
War and Fascism, together with all employ
ees Of the board who may be, or have been,
members Of similar communist front organi-
cations"
The committee recalled that Earl Browder
had called the League for Peace and De-
mocracy transmission belt for commun-
ism,' and during the hearings, Congressman
fact that in this list (of the Dies Committed
Nathan Witt was listed az a member Of the
League for Peace and Democracy and was
listed by the Dies Committee as Of communist
sympathies and tendencies"
The committee accused the board Of black
listing litigants before it; promoting boycotts;
denial Of opportunities for defense; requiring
industry to reinstate with back pay persons
who had never been on the payrolls and
seeking to legalize the infamous, anarchistic
sit-down strikes and persevering in this course
even when rebuked by the Supreme Court.
This, be it noted, was, Of course, the old
American court not the Roosevelt Supreme
Court which hardly would have issued such
a rebuke.
which the committee took satisfaction was
1.-The separation from government service of
certain radically minded or biased officials"
And, finally, the committee said that when
IAN administrative agency OF the government
so far forgets It's proper function as to protect
avowed enemies Of the constitutional govern
ment, invents and devises extralegal and even
unlawful methods Of tormenting and running
employers, foments industrial strife and op-
presses certain labor groups to favor others,
then the people must raise their voices lest
the fundamental concepts upon which the gov
eminent is based be utterly destroyed"
A comment on Curran's maritime union was
published In the SeafarerS' Log, the Official
paper of the Seafarers' International Union,
an anti-communist sailors union, on Sept 8.
1943
Speaking Of Curran's picket line in New
York which demanded the suppression of the
Pegler column, the Seafarers' Log said:
''Where did the $500 'seamen' pickets come
from? Certainly not off the ships because the
parade took place during working hours. Ger.
tainly not off the beach because the records
show that the NMU had to ship requirements
from the war shipping administration pool
while the picketeers were picketing. Don't fool
yourself, though. They we're the same that
pack the headquarters when the commies
have special resolution to put over. They
are the connie reserve forces who are fur
riers, needle-trade workers, cafeteria workers
or members of any outfit they can sneak into
! for the glory Of dear old pal Joey"
The New York harbor situation has been
| confused by communist maneuvers to make
it impossible for the citizens to realize the
gravity of the threat of communist DONNA
ton of the harbor and the ships. The invasion
was held in allegiance during Russia's war
But, according to predictions made here more
than a year ago. the revolution is now break
ing out in key areas of industry and COM
merce.
Editorial Comment
FRIEND IN NEED