Evening star., 1946-12-02

some ways is far more vital ont
than any in which Presiden
has engaged in our time-and thu
stakes could hardly be higher Hi.
opponent is ruthless, resourceful
experienced, highly intelligent
financially powerful. deeply en-
trenched, solidly backed and ably
defended. He has defied the law
the courts, the Congress and the
President.
AS Walter Lippmann trenchantly
says, he is in conflict with all the
branches of the Government of the
United States. Clearly, this fight
must go to the finish. So far as
the President-and the country
too-is concerned, to lose now is
unthinkable-but to permit it to
end in a draw is almost equally So
Issues Now Clearly Drawn.
While it is true Mr.. Lewis has
defeated Presidents before, never
before has the issue been SO clearly
drawn. the consequences of defeat
been so Enthusiastically dire or the
country brought so close to the
brink of economic disaster. This
time the President is armed with
q public sentiment such as has
existed in no previous engagement
between the Government and the
labor professionals.
In the past when demands have
been presented, the Government
has been afraid or unwilling to
fight. It has humiliatingly acqui-
esced. 1t has been more than half
way on the side of the unions,
which is the real reason for the
present intolerable state of affairs.
It never could have come about but
for the calculated coddling and de-
grading alliances of the Roosevelt
regime.
Now, for the first time, the link
between the White House and the
unions has been broken and the
showdown has come For the first
time the President, instead of lying
down, is standing up to fight. That
the American people are over
whelmingly with Mr.. Truman in
this struggle there is not the shadow
of a doubt.
Except for the professional labor
bosses, their political stooges and
dupes, the only opposition comes
from the radical groups whose aim
is to promote chaos. Except for
these, the people are solidly sup
porting him-and this is the reason
he is bound to win in the end. The
cost will be very great. 1t already is
great, and in the end 1t will be
enormous. Hardships will ensue.
There will be vast losses, much
suffering and many scars. No one
will escape unaffected.
Truman Has Other Means.
But the country can take it. The
country can take anything-except
another surrender to Mr.. Lewis.
That is out. No one wants to think
of the kind of country this would
be to live in If that were now to
happen-of what would be our situ-
alton abroad as well as at home.
What the people want now Is W
have the President hit Mr.. Lewis
with everything he has. And this
citation for contempt is by no
means all he has.
There are plenty OF other legal
weapons available before Congress
meets to enact preventive laws that
will make repetition of this ma
tional bludgeoning impossible. The
United Mine Workers Union can
be prosecuted under the antitrust
laws. It's funds can be impounded.
1t can be heavily fined. Indictments
against officers under the Smith
Connally Act can be secured.
There are plenty of things to do
and the public sentiment is very
much in favor of doing all OF them.
The one thing public sentiment does
not favor is letting Mr.. Lewis get
away with a face-saving compro-
mise-another partial triumph.
1t is understandable that while
the present court proceedings are