Detroit evening times., 1946-01-10
FAIR
ENOUGH
BY Westbrook
PegIer

'HAT portion OF President
Truman's report TO the ma
tion which dealt with strikes
and his own fiabby and timorous
proposal of fact-finding proc
ess was too pathetic for serious
consideration except for the pur-
pose of mailing its absurdities
and refuting them out of his
own text.
In the first place, he blames
Congress for calamitous failure
merely because Congress re-
fused to adopt a plan proposed
by him which, by mis- own ad-
mission, offers nothing new.
Mr.. Truman here adopts his
prsdseessors attitude that
those who disagree with him
are not merely rnstaksn bar
guilty.
But let US consider his con-
tradictionS.
"We have gone a long way In
getting our workers and facto-
rles back on a peacetime basis"
he said. MEN, machines and
raw materials are already back
In peacetime production In
greater numbers and are pro-
ducing more goods than any ono
OF us dared TO expect q few
months ago"
WE KNOW that isn't so and
w we know he knows il and
he admitted he wasn't telling
the truth when. a little further
along in the speech, he said.
THE reconve lon period
through which we are now pass
ing has as many elements Of
danger TO our economy as the
war period"
Obviously If we were produc-
ing more goods than any one of
us dared 10 hope few months
ago, the present hour would not
be time of dangers equal 10
the war period
The truth is, Of course. that
he has not exaggerated the dan
ger but. in leading up TO mem
tlon Of menacing situation
inherited from Roosevelt. he
couldn't resist the politicians
temptation TO balance a warn
ing and admission with a dis
honest boast.
Most Of the public did inno-
Gently hope that by this time
new automobiles would be a
common sight and had a right
10 hope that the President would
throw his influence 10 the side
of the people who are ready 10
buy but can't get new cars only
because a few union executives
introduced into A dispute over
wages a demand that they be
empowered 20 regulate dldivends
and fix retail prices.
Neither the vicious Wagner
Act nor any other federal or
state law passed ostensibly in
f, the interests Of labor" ever
contemplated any such demand
as A legitimate grievance.
Yet Mr.. Truman attempts to
blame General Motors for re-
fusal TO cooperate" on a basis
which meant a concession Of
fundamental economic prin-
ciple.
N GAIN. he said. Once the
"A public knows the facts 10
can make Its opinion felt In .
practical way" but added that,
mo detailed information so OBJ
tained from the books Of any
company is To he revealed"
Did Mr. Truman balance his
demand for access TO the en-
ployerS' private affairs with a
likewise firm proposal that the
unions submit 10 some standard
Of regulation of their revenues
and their uSeS7
He did not, although these
powers, which do not deny but
boast that they closed down
production, have enormous treas
urieS which a fact finding"
body might consider far in ex-
cess Of their legitimate needs
and have used their money TO
swing elections. including Mr..
Truman's in 1914. whereas COR
porations are forbidden 10.
The complaint against tho
sitting Of proposed laws by mi
norities In Congress who happen
TO be majorities Of committees
would have come with more de-
cency and grace from a man
less servile to the Roosevelt
myth.
From such a one IL would he
legitimate criticism Of Con-
gress which the public could en- ~
dorse with angry fervor.
But Roosevelt killed the
Hobbs and Smith bills in the
Senate few years ago by tele-
phoning pridelesS, shameless
flunkeys in the Senate COM
mands to keep them in COM
mittee.
Mr.. Truman's record is inno-
cent of any protest against
this nasty fraud upon the peo-
pie when it worked 10 the low
political advantage of his late
chief.
Altogether 4 cheap and devil
Gus speech, falsifying issues.
misplacing blame and excusing
the guilty. Mr.. Truman's New
Year message on strikes Of
fered no hope.