Milford chronicle., 1947-12-12


harassment of cor1-
~ munities by unnec-
essary and oppres-
z sive strikes. They
could have abated
the robbery of millions of workers
through assessments for causes in
which they had no interest, for ex~
pensive insurance and for undis-
guised rackets But. throughout the
Roosevelt administration, they re-
fused to drop their selfish politics
and answered every criticism and
warning with the monotonous cry OF
'.labor-baiter."
Actually, the only important
baiters of labor during those
years were not the National AS
s0ciati0n OF Manufacturers nor
any Of the journalists or candi-
dates, but some Of the presi-
dents and vice presidents of un-
ions like Jimmy Petrillo.
Jimrny's powers are really ter
rible. Other union bosses have the
same powers, but Jimmy's are writ
ten out for him in an article Of his
constitution which permits him to
rule absolutely by whim. subject to
no challenge or appeal. The cruel
gangsters of the hodcarriers' and
the operating engineers unions and
some of the machine politicians of
the teamsters exercised practically
the same despotic authority, but
they had to go in for subterfuge and
terror; not that this embarrassed
those who ruled by these methods.
"a TOTALiTARIAN RACKET
Jinrny's was the. only union whose
founding fathers had the gaIl to spell
out the proposition that .lnionisrn
was totalitarian racket, and it was
significant that his most alarming
excesses began after. he hired JOS
eph Padway as his general counsel
! think that this most arrogant Of
/ the dictatorial profteers in Ameri-
can unionism was also the cleverest
shyster in union law. Padway was
not necessarily a fine lawyer, al
though he did have his points. He
handled a class of clients who al
ways had great advantage under
law and could pay off judgments. u
they lost, by the painless process
4 of levying assessments on the face
less people who carried the cards
and did the work. This gave Pad
way an advantage over lawyers Tor
the other side. ss - {
say II was significant that
Jimmy really started TO go TO Z :
town only after he hired Pad
way, because Padway was the
legal adviser Of the entire 1
American Federation OF Labor.
His ruthless thinking directed i
the great ALL. I'm many sf 4
i its policies throughout this time.
and his guidance was that Of o
man with absolutely no regard
for the community.
There is no question that Padway
and William Green, John Lewis,
Philip Murray. Dan Tobin. Petrilio.
Reuther and Fay, the merciless
thug now securely filed away. in
prison at last. were strong men in
unionism. The criticism Of these
bosses is that they either misused
their strength, meaning their force
Of character as well as their follow.
ing in goons. to Cypress the real
workers of the United States, or
failed to use it in the interests OF
reform. Green could have been Q
great American by now, or Murray,
or any OF the others who had been
wise and honest enough to say, five
or six years ago. The union move.
ment must make peace with the
people and the law Of the United
States and serve the community ir
which It ives
GREAT CHANCE MISSED.
But they missed their opportunity
and now the whole lot Of them arr
reduced to bowling to the rank anc
file worker that ne is a slave il
chains and bleeding from the blow,
Of the knout. But the worker looks a
his wrists and sees no handouts
and he finds 40 wounds.
On the contrary, ne IL begin.
ming to realize that he now can
appeal TO the government TO pre-
tect him from his union. This In
new freedom that already has
stirred In many men OF the
Teamsters' union spirit OF
! revolution against Dan T0bin,
president for more than 80
: years, longer reign than n0st
kings have enjoyed.
It is dawning on the rank and al,
n that they have rights under union
j ism which they never even dreame'
OF in the days of Franklin D. Roose
Welt under the Wagner act. unrniti
gated. The majority Of the uniol
members are Of such an age tina
they began working under Roose
Welt and never knew any other cor
dition than the denial Of fair trial
under law. the large arbitrary fine
and assessments, the expensive So:
pensions and the blast OF a whistl
!. in the mouth of some criminal racf
Q eteer, calling out a thousand Amer
can citizens without strike vote.