Evening star., 1946-11-28
Letters to The. Star
Discussion of Labor Troubles
Goes On and On


Discussion of Labor Troubles
Goes On and On
To the Editor OF The Star:
The issue at stake In the John L.
Lewis UNIV strike against the Govern
ment seems clear to every one except
those Government officials attempting
to handle the situation. Mr.. Lewis and
his miners have thumbed their noses
at the Government and the courts and
derisiyely stated that you can't mine
coal with injunctions and bayonets.
They are right. You can't, and on
that point they are practical: however,
when war vas waged against the United
States, 1t wasn't too difficult job to
force over 100000 men into the sery-
ices. Many Of them did not want to go.
We are told that this work stoppage,
II prolonged win cause suffering and
hurt the economy of the Nation. It is.
in effect, declaration Of war against
the people of this country. An effective
way to put stop to that kind Of war
is to impress miners into military sery-
ice and to levy fines against their union
treasury OF $1,000, 600 day.
Commentators have analyzed this
situation by saying that punitive Gov.
ernment action would rally the other
unions to the miners support and cause
general strike II this is So then
the sooner the people of the United
States find 1t out the better. Substan-
.tial fines and military impressment
would subdue the zealotry OF these union
members also.
WILLIAM M. WERBER.
To the Editor OF The Star:
AS you enter the Department Of JUS
tice there is q big sign UP over the door,
carved in stone, which reads Equal
Justice Under Law" This is the side
door, incidentally. According to our
courts, this language means that every
body Is to be treated alike according to
fixed laws and no person Is to be SUBJ
jected to the whims of some jackass
who may think he personally is endowed
with superhuman talents to make, in
terpret and apply the rules under which
other people should live.
Since 7 got back from spending 81
months In the jungles OF the Pacific,
fighting for this right Of government
by law, among other democratic privi-
leges, have noticed that our politically
minded Attorney General has spent
much time dispatching his satellites
hither and yon mostly southwark for
the purpose OF investigating alleged
violations of individual civil liberties.
! was just wondering whether Mr..
Clark or Mr. Truman, now that the
election Is over. had given any thought
to sending any Of their bright young
men down to Richmond to investigate
the recent action Of the Virginia Cor
poration Commission fsponsored, II not
instigated, by the Governor OF virginia.
against John L. Lewis for the sale Of
unregistered securities.
First, let me make this clear, I am
not Lewis man. For the purpose OF
these comments, he can be assumed to
be a scoundrel and . public nuisance,
which many people no doubt think he
is. However that may be, John L. Lewis
is still citizen of the United States.
and lot of citizens Of Virginia belong
to the organization Of which he Is head
Ian organization not only the economic
purposes Of which have been pro-
nounced legitimate and In the public
interest by the highest court In this
land, but around which the cloak Of
legality unqualifiedly has been wrapped.
Whatever Mr.. Lewis shortcomings
may oe they certainly are no worse
than, II Is bad as, those OF the Governor
of Virginia and few other political
stooges who take 1t upon themselves to
say that public law prohibiting the
sale Of unregistered securities applies
to the sale of union memberships.
This clownish act, along with this
Governors former stunt of calling out
the State militia; the Pittsburgh courts
messing itself up In the recent power
strike, and the feeble efforts Of Mr..
Clark's so-called lawyers In the Depart
ment OF Justice in trying to keep up
with John L. Lewis, demonstrate just
one thing-how labor matters can be
fouled up when they are handled by
bunch Of politicians
HORACE A. BACUS.
To the Editor of The Star:
In reply to Alex. n. Adams remarks
about unions, I might say that he
probably was like many union members
have known, who were only card mem-
bers-that is, they belonged but did not
attend the meetings or take part in
the activities Of the lodge Consequently,
they know nothing or very little about
organized labor. and often are the
severest critics.
don't believe that many of the
working people would like to work under
the conditions Of labor Of SO years ago.
The benefits that we enjoy today are
the fruits Of the labors Of our fathers,
who many times suffered in their efforts
to better themselves.
1t will be admitted that there have
been cases where unions have over
stepped their bounds, but then there
are no humans or organizations made
up Of humans that are perfect
The principles Of organized labor are
sound. Any man who works for
living today would do well to pause and
give thanks for the unions and what
they have done for him.
WILLIAM H. ADAMS.
To the Editor of The star: