Detroit evening times., 1946-01-22
BEHIND
NEWS
BY Paul
MaIIon
DETR6Hl6lz7THES

mentioning, incidentally how
the unions, in their recent strike
campaign. had built up the
striking power to atomic proper
tions.
The strikes they called
but not simultsneOusly-in
telephones, telegraph, radio,
electricity, truckage, eleva-
tors. streetcars and buses,
demonstrated that a few
unions could at any time
obliterste commercial life in
the entire country. without
touching the major industries
like steel, autos and meat
packing.
Large cities could get little
food If the tedmSters and han
dlers struck, no matter If the
meat packers and TURNER'S Uere
lUorking. The local Increment Of
att goods TO store shelves tcoutd
stop. Lighting, heating and cook
ing in all the nations city homes
toould stop Nth strike of
powerhouse OOrkers.
An elevator strike would kill
much of the city business, as il
did in New York. Without buses
and Streetcars. local transporta-
tion could be broken down.
Telephones, telegraph and radio
walkoutS would furnish what
ever added impetus was needed
for a complete national collapse
in the processes Of living.
THIS is what l meant by my
Il allusion to the new power Of
the strike weapon. ] am saying
this to editors and readers who
asked an explanation, some of
whom suggested l should go
further into the fundamentals of
the striking privilege, and its re-
lation TO the era of grievances
in which we are trying, with
impediments, to live.
When you think about ii, the
right TO strike is a right every
one has. Work is essentially
only a devotion of energy by the
individual. A man has a nat
ural right to withdraw his en-
ergy if he chooses. Employers
have a right 10 shut down their
businesses. Indeed. they have
done so in Argentina in gen.
eral business strike.
4 BROADWAY columnist has
"A suggested we should all do
the same-just withdraw our
ergy, Individually as the
unions do.
But it is not natural for in
dividuals or businesses to want
to strike. both for the same rea-
son. The individual must have
his paycheck TO live. Businesses
must have receipts to sustain
themselves.
OF course the individuals
might seek unemployment i'm
surance, and If oil businesses
Went out at the same time
they might protect thenseiUes
against neW competition rising
up and apply to the goUsrn-
ment for funds TO pay the
idlinR expenses (rent, Wotch-
men, etc.).
Fundamentally, howe yer,
neither the individual nor buSi-
ness wants TO strike. Their
natural instincts are to keep
things going.
The unions want to strike
because, they say, they have
grievances. But where in the
country Is there person
without grievances: I have
them. You have them-Hst
grievances.
THE grievances of individuals
Il and business are just as
great as the grievances of the
unions-and l suspect much
greater today because Of the un-
balanced economy the unions
have built in recent years.
What is simple justice in this
situation? l do not expect any
one to heed me, but think l
can see what il is. The right of
the public is fundamentally
paramount. This is the natural
right of all the people to live,
to earn. to work.
OF this fundamental right,
there can be no impairment.
Common justice requires this.
The people have right to serv-
ice from labor as well as from
business. No nation can sus-
tain itself long otherwise.
Unions then, must find
other means OF getting justice
than by strikes against the
public interest. They easily
can get IL In many ways. by
judicial arbitration and other
wise. They should only have
the right to a fair trial like
every one else. They cannot
retain the power to stop all
living, restrained only by con-
science, II any.
THE people do not and should
Il not give their government
such a power. They cannot, in
reason. be expected TO give any
special group such a power over
them.
II continued unrpStrained this