Detroit evening times., 1945-10-22
WESTBROOK
PEGLER
Fair
Enough
Enough

\ PROMlNENl ngure on the
"A left side of the -commotion
along the New York water
front is Nathan Witt, attorney
for the so-called insurgent long
shoremen.
Joseph Ryan, the president Of
the AFL Longshoremen. long
has anticipated an invasion OF
the Atlantic ports by Harry
Bridges, of the West Coast
stevedores, in collaboration with
the National Maritime Union
whose president, Joseph Curran,
holds that the late war became
a peoples war only when Rus
sia was attacked.
The -NMu is oStensihlY a
labor union OF merchant sailors.
Actually. however, it is also
political club for nom
seataring Communists and un-
asslmilated aliens OF various
trades.
With the end of the war
many American ships are being
laid up and Their creMs laid off.
Thus the MINUS reveaues and
seafaring Membership must
dwindle and political and revo-
-HtienaFy- action invite atten-
ton.
DURING the war, the Con-
~ muHists Of the waterfront
quietly penetrated Ryan's ranks.
When Russia,s victory was
assured. an insurgent move
ment was engineered 10 depose
Ryan. and deliver the docks
over 10 the union of which
Bridges is the chief.
Curran quickly moved in 10
help the insurgents tie up the
port.
In 1870, special COMMITTEES
OF the House of Representatives.
undPf the craftsmanship OF How
ard w. Smith, Of Virginia. in
vestigated the National Labor
Relations Board during the time
that Nathan Witt was an Off.
cial there.
As one result Edwin 6. Smith.
= e-chastEnaA,-and- W1tr.-rIS
close faVorlte. both resigned.
smith is now executive iirec-
tor of an organization close to
the Communist movement called
the Nation Council OF American
Soviet Friendship.
Witt entered law practice in
New York.
These two were the dominant
characters in the original Ma
t1onaf labor Refstions Bosrd
selected by Franklin D. Roose-
welt 10 adminis;ed the Wagner
Act.
y ITS report. the Smith COM
nlttee said that a number Of
designations. including Wits.
represented "a good beginning
for much-needed reorganiza-
ton of the personnel.
AT no time" the report said.
'is there any place In an ad-
ministrstive body of the federal
government for persons Of pro-
nounced radical PHILOSOPHERS 81
strong rs 20 becIoud their per-
ceptions Of constitutional rights
OF citizens with whom they must
deal. Much OF the criticism Of
the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. nv the
board would have been avoided
had personnel bern selected be-
cause of the individual employees
ability Ia perform his work in a
fair and impartial manner rather
than upon a hasis Of his Ieftist
inclinations or prejudices.
Further along. the committee
said, THE committee recon-
mends the prompt dismissal Of
all members of the erstwhil~
League for Peace and Drmoc-
rscy and the League Against
War and Fascism. together with
all employees Of the board who
may he, or have been. members
-af similar Communist ftnnt-nr-
ganizations."
The committee recalled that
Earl Browder had called the
League for Peace and Democ-
racy transmission belt for
communism. And during the
hearings. Congressman Keefe
testified.
"A-And I referred TO the
fact that in this list (of the
Dies committee Nathan Witt
was listed a. a member of the
League for Peace and Democ-
racy and was listed nv the Dies
committee n of Comnsnist
sympathies and tendencies"
TliE committee accused the
i board Of blackliSiing llti-
gants before it, promoting boy
colts; GENIAL Of opportunities
for defense; requiring industry
10 reinstste with back pay per-
sons who had never been on the
paw rolls and seeking To legal
ize the infamous, snarchistic sit
down strikes and persevering In
this course even when rebuked
by the Supreme Court. = "
This. nc II noted. was. OF
course, the old American court.
not fhe Roosevelt supreme
Court which hardly would have
issued such rebuke.
And. finally. the committee
Said that Uhcp "au adr,iuisfra-