Evening star., 1947-04-17
Left Wing Drive
Seen on Labor Bills
Evasion Of Closed Shop Issue
Laid to House 6. o. p. Chiefs

!"
Evasion Of Closed Shop Issue
Laid to House 6. @. p. Chiefs
By David Lspys.cs
Ths '1eft wing. has certainly started
out on . campaign TO discrsdit any q
Al legislation which might protect The
public interest as against monopolistio
strikes Or unjustiied work stoppages.
The Democratic Party Il divided On
labor issues, 90 the lineup q not Just
between Democrats and Republicans.
There are lots OF Democrats who are
sick and tired Of Misrepresentation By
labor-union lobbyists and who zee the.
real issue rs one In which Tho individual
worker needs more protection from
abuses than does management.
Thus, the right to work has really
como to the fore for the flfst time On
= specific piece Of legislation. There 4
no real difference. for instance, between
the closed shop" and the union shop
% far as compulsory unionisation i
concerned. In both instances the em-
ploye who doesn't want to join . union
forfeits his right to Job. That isnt
liberalism but tyranny.
Decision In Expedieney.
The House Republican leaders, how
ever. are trying to evade the issue by
legalising the union shop" This -
probably being done because the Amer
lean Federation Of Labor has 10 many
closed shops Of this type that 1t is evi-
IDENTITY desired that the friendship Of
the AL be retained. This is . decision
IN expediency which ignores principle.
The theory that the labor groups viii
be less antagonistic II they are permit.
ted union shop" and not closed
shop" Is fallacious. Both the ALL and
CIO lobbies intend to fight any and an
legislation and to put pressure on Presi.
dent Truman to veto any labor bill that
comes to him.
As for the rank and file Of American
workingmen, they are waiting to see
whether Congress will protect them
against high-pressure tactics by labor
union leaders. The need for reform In
handling labor unions is long overdue.
The issues. however, are being be-
clouded by the New Dealers and pro-
labor leaders In Congress who are crying
out that unions are about to be broken
up, starvation wages" are about to b
paid, and lot Of other misstatements
which hide the truth about the whols
problem. Other cries from New Dealers
are that the clock is being turned back
to the dark ages"-extreme statements
that are just not true.
The truth is very simple. Collective
bargaining is here to stay for workers
who want 1t. Employers will not be per-
mitted to interfere. But the time has
come to protect the workers against the
abuses by organizers and by the mis-
statements of those who claim to b
working for the interests Of the work.
ers and who really are not.
Duty Of Congress.
Congress has duty to see that work.
ers and management get 4 square deal.
and the intention Is to enact . law In
which national board represents ths
interests OF labor and management alike
instead Of labor alone. The National
Labor Relations Board has INTERPRETED
the Wagner Act to mean it must support
unions because the laws preamble
speaks Of the desirability OF encouraging
collective bargaining. e@
The intimidation and coercion preva-
lent among workers who are dragooned
into unions by Misrepresentation which
the employers do not dare to answer
without risking lawsuit and an unfair
labor practice" charge has become q
scandal. To correct these abuses Is tl1s
purpose Of the new legislation.
But the possessors Of special privileges
and the monopolists always die hard.
They accuse any one who wishes to dis
turb the status quo as bent on destruc-
ton Of all liberty. Even some OF the Re-
publicans who recognize the Importance
OF making substantial changes in the
law are being persuaded that In the
matter Of the union shop 1t is better
to let matters stay as they are.
AS sop to the opponents of the idea
OF compulsory unionization, weak pro-
vision has been inserted in the pending
House bill to permit union shops" to
be banned If majority of the employees
vote against it or If State law forbids,
This is really passing the buck to ths
States and would produce many complf-
cations, especially in the way Of activi-
ties Of national unions which operats
across State lines and which are sure
TO challenge such State laws as invalid.
The new labor legislation Is going to bs
vetoed by the President anyhow, 80 de-
cisions Of expediency are not to be COM
pensated for by any labor support for
the bill. 1t is the rank and file Of labor
which needs to be protected. Abolishing
compulsory unionization will earn the
gratitude Of the citizen who believes
that the Constitution gives him the right
to work and that he need not pay an
Initiation fee or dues to any union. K
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