Evening star., 1947-04-04

American SyStem-t0 VIII, Lne Tree
dom to work, much clearer right
than the right to strike"
In making it impossible for any
man to obtain work unless he first
joins the union, the closed shop
denies the right to work. And in
coercing employers into acting as
instruments for the collection of
union dues and enforcement of
union rules. the CLOSED shop" de-
nies the employer the right to run
his own business, compels him to
build up hostile labor professionals
to a point where they can dictate
and dominate.
Significant Polls Cited.
It Is so unfair and so unsound that
q large proportion of union men,
bers themselves dislike 1t intensely.
AS for the people as whole, the
opposition is unmistakable. For ex-
ample, consider these extremely
significant polls. On January 20.
1947, the Gallup poll, covering all
classes of voters, made this report:
Favor open shop -------66%
Favor closed shop 81
Favor union shop -.--- 1870
No opinion 80
A separate poll taken on the same
day but exclusively among union
members was as follows:
Favor open shop --------416
Favor closed shop -------19%
Favor union shop ---------33%
No opinion ------------7 10
The difference between the closed
shop and the union shop Is that in
the latter a man does not have to
belong to the union to be employed
but he cannot stay employed un-
less he joins within a certain time.
These Gallup polls were taken a
little more than year ago. A few
weeks ago the Dunn Survey, of
Greenwich. Conn, asked this direct
question of 145 members of Con-
gress: "In principle, do you favor
outlawing the closed shop as ma
tional policy?" Written replies show
73 per cent "Yes," Is per cent
NO" 9 per cent qualified" Read
ing of these concededly impartial
tests of opinion shows that the
principle" of the closed shop is
opposed not only by large major
fly Of the people as whole and a
large majority Of the members of
Congress but actually by more than
,or1e-fourth of labor union members
themselves.
It proves that the widely adver-
tised political power of union lead
ers is based on the false belief that
they truly represent the political
views and votes of their rank and
file. The reverse of this is shown.
These professionals not only mis-
represent the sentiment of the vot-
ers as whole but of their own
membership as well. Here, then, 1t
would appear Is great political
opportunity to destroy an offensive
practice and earn popular appre-
citation. What is the explanation
then that, with the sole exception
of Senator Joseph Ball, Of Mime
sofa, no national political leader
has attempted to grasp this oppor-
tunity? On the contrary, with the
exception of Senator Ball, they
have all shrunk away from it.
Fear "Reactionary" Stigma.
The chief reason for this appears
a disinclination to be. pilloried as
a "reactionary" of the Neanderthal
type who wants to cruelty" labor,
To anyone who has followed their
line, it is clear that on this particu-
lar subject the left wing and labor
publicity agencies, which include
the Communist and near -Commu-
mist publications, have combined
to do exactly that. If there is any
other reason 1t is not apparent.
Certainly the mere suggestion to
ban the closed shop causes more
violent, vituperative and unre-
strained chorus of denunciation than
any other.
Yet IT seems one of the least dras-
tic of all pending labor proposals,
the one that should appeal to the
sense of fairness of everybody ex-
cept those whose primary goal is
that of monopolistic union power.
No sound argument except that Of
union efficiency is made for it. The
fact that some large employers
favor the closed shop by no means
makes it right. These do not defend
its principle. Their advocacy Is
based on the wholly selfish ground
that it, is easier to deal with one
monopolistic union boss under the