Evening star., 1946-09-24
Letters to The Star

w Hi A&Atol laA Nj ShIoH
To the Editor Of The Star:
would like to register a vigorous
protest against the campaign of dero-
cation, reaching the proportions of
slander and vilification, being wased
against our union, the United Public
Workers Of America CIo, by the Wash
ington newspapers.
This campaign reached a new low in
the editorial appearing in the Washing
ton Evening Star of September 17th
entitled why Not Stop It?"
This editorial claims that certain un-
named top Government oficials" are
supposed to be seriously concerned over
the fact that 1900 Panama Canal Zone
workers have joined the UPW-CIO and
urges that the United States Govern
ment deny these Federal employees the
right to belong to union of their own
choosing.
We. of course, do not know who these
unnamed top Government oficials"
are or If any Government officials have
expressed any concern in this matter.
Certainly you cannot be referring to the
ofdcials who are responsible for the
Panama Canal because the relation
ships between Gen. Mahaffey, Gov
ernor Of the Canal Zone; Ambassador
Hines, and all other officials have been
cooperative, friendly and mutually
agreeable. UPW-CIO consulted con-
tinuously with these responsible officials
of the zone and all actions on our part
were taken with the full knowledge of
these ofiicials. Therefore, we seriously
question the existence of these mysteri-
Gus and anonymous top Government
oficials"
The workers of the Panama Canal
have been the victims OF low wages and
shameful racial discrimination for many
years. These conditions obviously created
deep-seated resentment against their
employer. the Government Of the United
States.
These workers came to the CIO for
organization and CIO President Philip
Murray turned their request over to us.
As result Of our efforts in the Panama
Canal Zone, these workers have come
to respect the people and Government
OF the United States for they found for
the first time that the policies OF dis
elimination and low wages being prac-
ticed in the Canal Zone were not the
off1cial policies of the United States
Government or the people Of the United
States.
They find that they have democratic
rights and that there is an avenue for
them to get redress of their grievances.
They are beginning to participate in
and receive the BENEFITS of American
democracy.
AS q result of UPW activities in Pam
anna, the workers of the Canal Zone
have a new loyalty to the United States
and new feeling of friendliness and
solidarity with the American nation.
AS long as these people were forced
to work under intolerable working con-
ditions there was very grave threat
to the security of the Panama Canal
People earning II cents an hour can
hardly be expected to be loyal to their
employer.
Our union in Panama has an un-
qualified no-strike policy and the OBJ
Jective OF bringing to the people of
Panama and all Latin America a closer
understanding of the democratic tradi-
tions of our nation.
Our relationship with the Panama
Canal Administration has been friendly
and cooperative and sets pattern that
other Federal agencies might profitably
emulate in the interests of a better
public service.
Your proposal that the United States
Government deny the Government en-
ployes the right to belong to a union
of their own choosing is not only i'm
moral but dangerous.
1t is the oft reiterated policy of the
United States that workers have the
right to join unions of their own choos-
ing and you would propose that our
Government now deprive these workers
this basic democratic right.
The officers and the members of the
United Public Workers of America, CIO
strongly resent the aspersions you have
cast upon our patriotism.
OAA NAAASAA 10 PA0o0 "a ltS COutIiDuIlOnS
to our Nation.
We are proud of the more than 18 900
UPW members, including more than
half of our International Executive
Board, who served in the armed forces
OF our country during the war, many
OF whom sacrificed their lives for the
very democratic traditions that YOU now
attack.
We are proud of the fact that one
local alone gave over 75,OOO pints of
blood to the Red Cross.
Throughout the war our union consist
emily waged an educational campaign
to keep public workers on their Jobs so
as to maintain vital service of Govern
ment despite the low wages and poor
conditions in public employment
The war record of the UPW has been
recognized by top ofdcials of the Govern
ment, including President Roosevelt
Our union initiated and fought for
job security and wage raises for vet
Grams. We were in the forefront of the
fight for the CT Bill of Rights, increased
allotments to servicemens families
higher servicemens pay and the SER
yicemen'S vote hill