The midland journal., 1946-11-29
A REVIEW OF LABOR STRIKES
BY j. e. Jones

Washington, d. c., November "a
An editor asks the question: 'tUpon
what meat doth our labor union
chiefs feed, that they have grown so
great?' So, as AL Smith used to say,
Lets consult the records
Ten years ago John l.. Lewis was
the master mind" in the first "sit
down strike" applied on large scale
in the United States. In Detroit, city
authorities refused to aid in evicting
the strikers. In Flint the strikers
were protected against eviction by
State troops that were ordered in by
Governor Frank Murphy. Lewis leap
ed to fame in that 43-day strike.
''It is to violate no State secret to
say that such strikes were anticipated
by all well-informed persons when
the agreements were signed, because
the union, being new, lacked disci-
pline and consideration for orderly
processes and respect for orders from
union heads to be found in older
groups" is a historical truth contain
ed in the 1898 World Almanac
The National Labor Relations Act
had been law for year and half.
1t had the approval of President
Roosevelt. Whenever the Act failed
to act under orders from handful of
labor leaders, the President of the
United States appointed new boards,
commissions and brass hat commit
tees that took over and took orders
from the President himself. The
strikes were won FOR the strikers
The strikers showed their apprecia-
ton through all the Presidential
elections during the lifetime of the
late lamented President.
In the past five years JOHN l.. Lew
is is reported as responsible for nine
coal strikes He has been so success
full that he did not discover that the
American voters in our November
election issued a clear and definite
mandate to the Administration and
to the Senate and House of Represen-
tatives to STOP THOSE STRIKES.
The President promptly replied to
the People, saying in short: your
orders received the same shall be
obeyed." The Congress and the Pres
ident agreed to pull together.
Mr. Lewis continued belligerent.
He served notice on Secretary of In
terror Krug tkat 100000 union mine
workers would go on strike if their
new demands were not granted
Lewis carried his pitcher to the
we'll just once too often without real
izing that he was about to stub his
toes-all ten.
The American public watched the
game and checked up on the threat
ened coal stikre. So, when a Court
order was issued forbidding strike
in the coal mines, there seemed to be
unanimous public approval.
What of the future? In the first
place the Wagner Act promised to re-
dress the inequality of bargaining
power between employees and cor
porate employers. Then what hap
pened?
Government statistics show that
the proportionate income of Ameri-
can workers who are members of
labor unions have mounted to new
heights-going far above the per-
centag9 of earnings of our national
industries, particularly in the major
organizations that are the life-blood
of our economic institutions and of
all the people of the country.
What the Government is really fac
ing is the responsibility of reestab-
fishing industrial relationships which
will wipe out the take it or leave it"
attitude of labor leaders who pull
strike after strike so fast tkat it is
hard to keep up with all of them.
President Truman insists that he
does not poporse to submit to dicta-
tors such as Lewis, Murray, Reuther,
Hillman and others. Most anything
may happen in the coming weeks.
Congress will amend the Wagner
Act, to compose disputes that deal
with facts, instead of allowing either
employers or labor unions to slug one
another into submission.
Attention is being directed towards
tie Case Bill which was passed by
both Houses of Congress and vetoed
by President Truman. Under the pro-
visions of the bill there would be a
Fedearl Mediation Board; strikes or
lock-outs would be forbidden for a
period of so days. There would be
provisions for civil suits to be tried
in the courts against employers and
employees for breach of contract
This measure would put an end to
the powers of a little handful of czars
who boss millions of honest workers.
So, Readers of my Weekly Letter
in Family Newspapers, have carried
on as your correspondent for MANY
years. The above is truthful state
ment of the 'Ftop of the news" and
the explanations of what it all means
to ALL of us.