Evening star., 1946-11-14
Letters to The Star
Laughing, Voting OfIiceholder
Now Says Lets Skip IT.


the recent plebiscite published in your
issue Of November II and can't re-
member when / laughed SO heartily.
Beautiful repartee, was 1t not?
It Is inherent in most Americans 1t
seems to derive satisfaction In sounding
or occasionally. getting things "o1
their chests" as it were.
We could. Of course. 60 on indefinitely
calling each other names, challenging
and defending In terse rebuttal, but you,
am sure, would be the first to say that
to publish 1t would be waste OF good
newsprint.
So, shall we say, let's skip It and
permit Congress to decide the issue and
let us hope that whatever else these
gentlemen do or do not decide, may they
never deprive us Of the privilege of
throwing "brick bats" Trivial and in
consequential In itself, there Is under
lying 1t all mighty principle. the adj
herence to which has made this country
great.
In any case, thanks for the space.
Yours for middle oft -the-road Amer
lea and an even more beautiful WASH
ington. EDGAR e. BARKER.
4220 Argyle terrace NV.
Editors Note: So many replies to Mr..
Barker,s letter were received that It was
impossible to print them all. At Mr..
Barker's suggestion, truce Is declaredo
One View Of TWA Strike
TO the Editor Of The Star:
The solidarity Of unionism has been
shaken at Its very roots, notify the di-
yersification Of public opinion, but by
the very essence Of its personality.
Shades Of huckstery have been cast
upon these fraternities by statement
issued at Chicago by Air Lines Pilots
Association (AFD prexy. David L.
Behncke, in which he declared that
Judge Douglass original plan Of arbitra-
ton in the TWA pilots strike was
accepted by the ALPA mot only in
principle but In toto" At the same time
1t Is Mr.. Behncke's purpose to declare
. refusal on the part Of Transcon-
tinental d Western Air, Inc, to accept
the Douglass plan. He adduces a point
that TwA only accepted an amended
proposal. BY the fact that onlv one
plan has been provided for arbitration
by Mr.. Douglass, these assertions alone
are manifestations enough Of Mr..
Behnckes figurante usage to WELD the
union stick In the face OF capitalism for
the sake Of counter capitalism. Since
the nrst days of the ALPA leaders
campaign his zg-zag course has be-
come monotonously routine.
Months ago Jack Frye made accessible
to all TWA employees the cofrespon-
dence between his and Mr.. Behncke's
once. Mr.. Frye agreed to results Of
President Truman's emergency panel.
putting the recommendation into effect
ON August Q. The letters prove without
. doubt that he (Mr. Frye) made every
attempt to meet Mr.. Behncke in order
that the pending headache be cleared
up. Yet the ALpA prexy, who already
had been given the power Of attorney
by the pilots. which affords him as
president Of the union. complete and
full authority to accept. reject or agree
upon . settlement. !. /. on such terms
and conditions a& such president deem
prudent and advisable" made no move
other than to release dcrogatory state
ments In the direction Of the company,
until October 10 when q take It or leave
1t" ultimatum was sent to Jack Frye.
Thirty hours were given for acceptance
or refusal Of plan to tear the heart
out Of an infant industry. With one,
sweep Of his hand Mr.. Behncke at
tempted to break the back Of right
that belongs to every citizen, the right
to collective bargaining
Here is not strike by the oppressed
| TO earn q decent living wage, nor q
strike by laborers for better working
conditions. Here is strike by union
leader against this country's third
largest airline
1t has been necessary for Trans World
to cancel orders for huge amounts Of
equipment and planes, several hundred
pilots and crew members who might
have flown this equipment cannot be
employed, approximately $1,000 nom
union employees who claim individual
SALARIES from $38 to about 500. each week
find themselves without Jobs and
frpwned upon by any prospective en-
ployer when they seek temporary en-
ployment Not only has this strike
proven detrimental to the coppany's
expansion program, to the remote pub
lie and to employees but the average
citizen must be well aware Of the effect
1t eventually will have on him. The
major airlines of this country have
spent the past 90 years building their
| lines to the point where flying will cost
no more than any other surface mode
yet giving the traveller the safest. fastest,
and most comfortable service. II 1t be-
comes necessary to increase individual
salaries and considerations to irrational
proportions the traveller win eventually
find himself paying rexorbitant fares.
| The higher the fare, the less passengers.
| The less passengers the less planes. The
less planes the less pilots.
Aside from the pilot salary angle,
| which has been enlarged upon and exag-
| gerated by practically every news source
during the past fortnight. further griev-
| ances; those Of additional pay for four
engine pilots, monthly guarantees for
overseas flying, rules involving expenses,
Insurance and allowances; might have
been cleared up long ago had Mr..
Behncke agreed to meet Mr.. Frye who
admitted there were inequities in the
then current agreement and who wanted
to clear up all differences in order
that this airline and all its employees