Detroit evening times., 1945-11-02
FAIR
ENOUGH
BY Westbrook
PeeIer

I SSiOI
THE Ball-Burton-Hatch bill
i has been denounced by all
the prominent professionals OF
the Union movement as a blow
at labor's gains and liberties.
This was to be expected, even
from honest men on that side
of the dispute, because they are
committed TO the proposition
that the only workers in the
country who may legitimately
be classed as labor" are those
enrolled in the unions.
The right TO strike" has ac-
quired the status of a sacred
freedom" and has been so
widely accepted that the pub
lies right has been lost in the
confusion.
To say that there exists for
American workers right not
10 strike is 10 utter heresy
even though i'm thousands Of
cases groups of workers have
been compelled 10 leave their
jobs by order OF union execu-
tiveS and that such men have
AagFantly used their executive
power 10 blackmail employers.
OVER the years since 1893.
~ industry, or business, has
been severely restricted in its
dealings with unions.
The employer is now forbid
den even 10 discuss terms or
conditions Of work with an ir =
dIviduai worker If the pfany
has a contract with a union.
That IS intimidation and
coercion.
The Ball-Burton-Hatch bill
does not 60 as far as II should.
For example. II fails 10 pro-
vide that union constitutions
must conform 10 the Constitu-
ton Of the United States and
respect the workers constitu-
tional rights.
There IS no legal requirement
that a strike must be ratified
by A aioriiy of the member
ship affected by an honest.
supervised ballot
Or. again. the executives of =
big union may levy a pay
roll tax on the employees, ostcn-
Sihly for a vacation fund for
the individual workers and then.
at their discretion, apply any
part or all of this vacation
money 10 a political campaign.
THE Ball Burton Hatch bill
does not even propose 10
correct these conditions.
Possibly the reason was that
the authors believed it more
practical 10 put IN some reforms
first and 10 let the others come
in due course. by evolution
The hill docs present the first
statement in what might be
called the now thinking Of
doubt of the right 10 strike in
some cases.
Possibly the authors had IN
mind the fact that, under his
a..aEgIeEale Nal F,as. eEs- the =
late President Roosevelt seized
private properties 10 prevent
Shut-downs IN union disputes
without any regard for the
merits Of the controversies.
The shutdown was held 10 be
against the public interest. q
Bur by this method the owl
crs Of the property were pe-
nallZed even though the union
was threatening the public in
tercSt and tho owners were en-
tirely willing 10 carry on but
were helpless.
THE question has been put for
L the first time since 1888
whether unions have A right 10
strike against the public inter-
est. refeciing all compromise
.and refusing even 10 discuss dis
putcd points.
Employers must negotiate or
bargain but unions need not do
so and so a small group of pro-
feSsional executives, Commu-
nists. for example, may declare
a strike IN A key position IN a
community, Su c h as a power
house or waterworkS. and thus
shut down all industry IN the
area and inhlct grave danger on
that element KIN own as the
public
This element vastly outnum-
berS the total strength of all
unions.
II is not organized. il has
\ many diverse beliefs on various
: subjects and up 10 now II has
been helpless under arrogant
abuse by men claiming 10 act
in the name of labor when in
fact. they were acting only for
themselves. for their own pur-
poses and, possibly. against the
wishes Of the workers un-
der their control
But. even assuming in such A
case that the workers by an
honest majority vote had de-
Cided 10 strike, their right 10
strike still may be challenged
in the public interest.
Whose right is greater here,
the right OF 100000 citizens not