Evening star., 1947-09-04

congratulate the American labor
movement on the occasion OF lts
national holiday and as we encour-
age 1t to organize as rapidly as pos
sible the great number of American
workers who are still without status
or representation in their economic
life. we emphasize the supreme I'M
portance Of the high moral and
spiritual ideals which must actuate
the movement If it is to promote
the common good
First Action Of Kind.
This is believed to be the first time
that a church organization as such
has taken sides in labor manage
ment controversies to the extent of
lining itself up with faction in the
economic life of America.
The question of whether an indi-
vidual should or should not join a
union is one that hitherto has been
left to the individual to decide with
out urging from a national church
organization. The theory that col
Elective action is better than indi-
vidual bargaining has been persua-
sively maintained with respect to
some groups of workers, but 1t Is a
generalization which has been dis
puted with respect to all groups OF
workers.
Certainly the interjection of ad-
vice from the national Catholic
church organization to the workers
Il novel, indeed. While such help
for union organizers will be well
coined by the AFL and the CIO, 1t
will unquestionably stir up consider
able antagonism among those who
feel that it is not the province OF
a national church organization to
make itself virtually the auxiliary
arm of a union organizing move
ment.
Already, since the distribution OF
the Labor Day statement by the Ma
tional Catholic Welfare Conference
letters have come in from Catholic
laymen expressing interest in the
prounion declaration. Thus pro-
fessor in Catholic institution writes
to this correspondent:
"If the social action department
Is really SO much concerned about
just wages, social security, and JUS
tice, why does the National Catholic
Welfare Conference do nothing to
clean its own house first?
-
"The Catholic parishes pay the
Lowest salaries, beginning from the
ianitors up to those running the
schools, who often work for $35 a
month. Since they and all others
working for charitable institutions
are excluded from the benefits Of
the Social Security Act, it is a
double injustice that nothing is done
for them.
"The teachers and professors at
Catholic colleges and universities
are the least paid in the country
They are not given long-term con-
tracts, but there are those who get
contracts for only 30 days or nine
months. They can be dismissed
summary, WHICH InedIS WltIlou'
ever hearing the reasons for their
dismissal. There are cases where
professors have been dismissed
only for belonging to the harmless
American Association of University
Professors.
"Since I am professor, I am
aware of these irregularities and
working under the contract system
of Catholic institutions of higher
learning, I cannot help feeling with
the unoerprivileged teachers who
cannot defend themselves for feal
of'being dismissed"
There will be continuing in
terest in the new effort of the Ma
tional Catholic Welfare Conference
to urge unionization in America
The subject is likely to be discussed
widely among laymen and clergymen
not only in Catholic but in Protes-
tant groups. The activities of the
various churches in backing up the
union movement is matter OF
growing importance.
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