Detroit evening times., 1945-06-28
WESTBROOK
PECLER


THE labor relations bill intro
duced in the Senate last
week Is an admission by its
sponsors, Hatch of New Mexico.
a Democrat. and Burton Of
Ohio and Ball OF Minnesota,
Republicans, that the Wagner
Act is a vicious and dangerous
law and should be made harm-
less by superseding legislation.
The iniquity of the Wagner
Act and Of the operations OF the
Labor Relations Board. which 1t
created, has been notorious for
years.
The bill now presented would
acknowledge these evils and,
among other measures of re-
dress, would recognize the eX-
lStence Of an clement known as
the pubtIC which often has
suffered grieVousiy from tte
brutal arrogance OF political
bosses miscalled labor leaders.
THE recent distress of hum
L dredS of thousands OF New
Workers during a slow down
strike IN the omnibus service
IN sitting weather Is an eN-
ample ri thdt IrreSpOnSibIlIiy.
But. IN the debates on the
new bill. those senators who
now have become aware OF the
public interest should not fail
10 30 further back and recall
the time when Il small group
OF rcNeltiehaFie>7eaiiinF-the them.s
selves a labor committee. pulled
the switches IN the municipal
power -ridut ri 4 fTTEC CTry N
Michigan and then vanished,
refusing 10 meet the city man
dECr or IN any Nay submit 10
negotiation of the complaints
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
for this Wanton blow al an n
noCcnt community
The public does exist and
the three senator's Who offer
this new plan are wise % direct
an appeal 10 the public eNer
The heads Of the boss unloneers
Of the Go and the AL.
4 MEXICAN labor n partcu-
"A lar and the nation IN gem
eral have no more dangerous
internal AeEe.l4ies= =tl3aa=tt tt4t=f.zsv
hundred union officials who. hy
their InSiStcnce on 1hc-- -.uIl.e-.-.-..--
= tf,'fif - cy1yrTrg conditions.
-woItri rnCvItartE pIoNuKe IInis
and a popular hatred oi union
-!Nt1--attcEt- -NAI--
CohmolIQn- then IoNu.4A.aa.
the -e5frruuuTvr program.
VIII returned soldiers quietly
Subml and support labor II
the switches arc pulled aCa.n
when they want 20 Work
What are The evils of re
Wagner system Of labor Ic.a-
tons?
II maintains government
bureau which frankly doe, not
pretend 10 serve The public bat
does frankly regard the unions
a. rs clients and promote, thor
interests against those Of indus
uy and the public
At The beginning II vas de-
lhclatck loaded with Cor1ml-
FRI e*rrr ut7fTECrrty promoted
strike, and connlycd az terror
ism so that whole areas Of tre
nation were ruled rs disciplined
ro|ins gangs Of t-ugs and >an-
dalS
WE Labor relations Board
has The powers Of a court
bat docs not even put up a pre-
tense OF impar'IalT'y
II ], frarklA-a a-A.l2t- -i!hc- l,-l.-
-pi0Ycr .n all cases and 81, as a
Judge while It's own agent, ap-
pear as prosecutors and IS
-eeHnSct for rHc complaining
parties
The Wagner act drives Glii.
lions o, workers into unions
against thcli Will IN violation
Of lis own stated purpose 20 Jet
them select their own bargain
ING agents.
But the Wagner Act does not
provide that these unions shall
conduct free internal elections
or that they shall be accounts
able 10 their members for the
thousands Of millions Of dollars
which they collect aS income
taxes and the license to work.
The Wagner Act and the
Labor Relations Board have
never been concerned With the
constitutions OF the unions with
the result that jimmy PCtrlllo
OF csnc musicians. for example.
may suspend his entire ConSti-
tuition az will and persecute any
member 10 his hearts content.
and, as an example of the hru-
tality practicod on the indi-
Vidual worker IN utter disregard
of ms rights as a man and a
citizen. two rank-Hnd-filc tOllcrS
in Boston recently wcrc expelled
from Their union for life merely
because they avallcd themselves
of thor constitutional right 10
testify before committee of
tho Massachusetts Leg Stature
in favor of a bill requiring union
officers TO account for union
funds.
BY that decree Of haniShmcnt,
these two individuals. by union
law and tradition. are forever
barred from all employment in
any occupation IN any unIonlzed
plant.