Evening star., 1946-12-03
Strikes Viewed as Banditry

Strikes Viewed as Banditry
To the Editor of The Star:
Strikes are basically wrong and
should not be tolerated In any civilized
country. It is not necessary for labor
ers to go on strike. II any laborer is
dissatisfied with his job he should quit
it and find a job elsewhere. But no
laborer has right to say to another
laborer: 'You shall not work simply
because I do not want to work at a
certain wage or under certain condi-
tions." The number of laboring people
at present unemployed on account OF
strikes has mounted into the thousands
(and perhaps millions). People are go
ing hungry and people are going cold
on account OF the strikes. Factories
are shutting down and the schools are
being closed.
People who do manual labor gener-
ally are getting higher wages than
people who do brain work. Is it right
that craftsmen, especially in the trades
which require practically no education
and very little experience make more
money than those who belong to the
professions such as teaching, law, en-
cheering, etc, which require years Of
training and experience2 Businessmen
in a good many instances make less
than their employees. Such conditions
cannot but help to stifIe business and
interfere with progress generally.
And all of this is brought about by
the use OF force or by threats of force
or by intimidation 1t has reached a
point where the hoodlums and bullies
think they can intimidate the Gov
ernment and the courts and they do
not hesitate to back up their unreason-
able and selfish demands by welding
a weapon-the strike weapon-no less
deadly than a gun in the hands of a
bandit. A WORKING MAN.
Wants Way of Life Defined
To the Editor of The Star:
Gould G Price, or some one else
equally qualified to do so, elaborate on
his very interesting letter, American
Way Emphasized" in The Star for
November 80?
A definition of 1.-THE American way
of life'' certainly would be most help
full; for, not since that phrase was
coined some years ago, by the late
President f. d. Roosevelt believe, has
any one come forward to interpret it.
Mr.. Roosevelt himself never found time
to do so.
Since the war we often hear it said
that "our boys fought for the American
way of life," but when the speakers
are questioned as to just what that
way" is the answers always are vague.
Frankly this writer can find no au-
thority for the statement that there
actually is such a way of life; for.
manifestly, the American system en-
braces many political and economic
PHILOSOPHERS and techniques Of other
than American origin. Our major polit-
ical parties hold highly conflicting and
often cilable-economic and social
views and each contends that its theo-
ries can be easily administered within
the framework of our national Consti-
tution-which document, incidentally
fails even to mention any way of life"
and the Congress has yet to undertake
the task of writing such a definition
for our guidance.
THOMAS p. GRAVES, Sd.
Water Power Preferred to Coal
To the Editor Of The Star:
think now Is a proper time to re-
mind some of our ever-preseut "ob-
jectors' that our brownout is only a
result of our complete reliance on coal
labor and transportation. Some months
ago when it was suggested that the
Potomac River be harnessed, they OBJ
jected because some marshy lowlands
would be turned into beautiful lakes
for recreational purposes
Such people think in the past and
not in the future
EDWIN G. AUSTIN.
Holds Principle Important
70 the Editor Of The Star:
Americans are proud Of their Govern
ment; it seems illogical and inconsistent
to deprive Wasliingto Of the price,
less privilege to participate. in Federal
elections on the theory that the Capital
would be polluted by political bosses
and their machines.
In any case, great American prii1-
ciple should forever transcend polluted
politics and not yield to them.
s EDMUND X. GOLDSBOROUGH
Possible Answer
From the Knoxville Express
We would like to see complete list
of what we want In other parts OF the
world, and a list Of what Russia wants
in other parts of the world-we Zee
sure we Scould then understand what
- L. 49,. H.. 49, 4 Ic