The Wilmington morning star., 1947-07-15
AsPeglerSeesH
BY WEsTBROOK PEGLER


BY WESTBROOK PEGLER
Copyright, by King Features Syndicate, Incl
NEW YORK, July IA In ~forbidding the
spending Of union money for publications pro-
noting Or opposing candidates or issues in
the public politics, Congress had in mind the
fact that the gross income of the unions rose
to more than one thousand million dollars a
year during the war. Most Of this was avail
able as a slush fund to continue to elect
member of the Roosevelt party or its Off
shoots and successors. I mention the offshoots
and successors because, even as the Nazl
party, the fascist party and the old Lenin-
Trctsky party in Russia, the new deal party
was bound to disinte crate and has done so, as
we note in the recent appearance of the
splinter groups led by Henry Wallace and
Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt. AS John Garner re-
marked to Jim Farley, in 1910, and as Farley
now relates in his belated memoirs, most Of
the p~artisans had no principles and cared not
a damn for Roosevelt but were interested
only IN staying in power.
Actually, this union slush fund was created
by the new deal party itself for it's own pur-
poses. That is, the new deal passed the
Wagner Act and set up the Labor Relations
Board and then drove millions OF workers
into the man-traps; all subject to dues, fees,
taxes and assessments. Very few of the boss
unioneer gave a damn for Roosevelt or for
the working people who actually constitute
the living body of American tabor. Most Of
them, were Interested only in staying in pow
err and in preserving their easy, luxurious
living and the system of nepotism which had
actually created a royal class. These bosses
have had hundreds of millions Of dollars
under their personal control. Usually there
has been a form Of democratic procedure
in the manipulation of the money but the
effect still has been that the high bosses
could spend it as they would to keep in power
the people who in turn kept them in power.
The minor enbe of the Executive" coun-
ellis of the big international unions naturally
the White House.
Old Alex Whitney, Of the brotherhood of
railway trainmen. casually evinced the politi-
cal,y brutal eftrontery that developed among
this class when he answered President Tru-
mans threat TO draft the railroad men into
the Army by a threa: of his own to spend
forty some millions ID defeat Truman at the
polls in 1948. This isn't his money and a poll
OF the membership, who are more purely and
prlfnlt;veJy American than most other groups
OF similar size. undoubtedly would repudiate
the temperish old master on this point if such
a poll could be taken. In an earlier minor
emergency, Dan Tobin, the president of the
teansters, announced that his union would
spend as much money as might be necessary
to elect its own candidates, meaning Roose-
vel. rubber-stamps. o. course. in an off year
congressional election. Thus, also, in Boston,
John M. Sullivan, the boss then of Local Is
Of the teamsters. one Of the biggest locals
IN the country. calmly committed the rank
and file to elect TO congress Jim Curley, a
vllialnous old cheat who was the more con-
temptible in the eyes Of the horny-handed
frelghters who push the box cars over the
road because, when he finally was caught,
ha Jyn~ h11o A~l 49,. e. ---- ~
ground that his son mad made an honorable
record in the war. But in addition to this,
Sullivan promised tina: the Transfers Of local
70 would raise a pot OF money to pay the old
crooks personal debts which were the hang
over Of some earlier grating in the office of
mayor OF Boston so that Curley could be even
with the board when he should 90 to Con-
gress. He was elected, too, and it was during
that term that the despicable old coward I'M
dertook a. shakedown for which he lis now
serving a term in the country club known as
the Danbury Correctional Institution.
Only the union bosses and the politicians of
the Roosevelt following, such as Mayor
. Dryer, of New York, were alarmed over
the determination of Congress to bring these
sIush funds under control lest the power Of
money i'll elections should destroy the repub-
llc- Obviously, the rank and file had nothing
to lose, ODwyer knew that if he went down
the line TOR the bosses. who handle the money,
ne would put them in his debt when dough-
day came again.
Although Tobin is ore of the most success
ful kings, he is, nevertheless, in some mani
festatlons so dumb that it is a marvel that
ne has been able to go on and on, re-electing
himself president for 20 years.
Victoria and Franz Josef sat their thrones
longer but few other monarchs of the blood
ever Gid. And, while their relatives were
spared the necessity even to appear to work,
Mr.. Tobin's sons, after ali, have done well.
II we remember tina. their father is only an
American king, and q union king.
sour years ago, Tobin. who is "editor" of
MS own personal publicity organ called the
International Teamster, printed a two-page
Photograph in the middle of the magazine
showing thigh officials Of labor and govern
ment' at a dinner in Washington, given by
NJ. ms International executive board. and, among
the happy smiling faces were those of old
Oar and his sons, Fred ($J0,0 a year,, d.
rector Of the Unions legislative bureau: and
Joe, $500 a YEAR, o. the statistical bureau
and the wife Of son Frank OSLO, 900 a year,
who runs the statistical bureau but wasn't
present. Another son. Ed, works with Matt
VOL. the president of the engravers' union
is plain that if the old boy has ever done
anything for 'labor," then slabor" has done
at least as much for him and his.
Well, there was blood on the moon after
that publication because here was the royal
family, all in civilian clothes, in war time.
all on the union payroll and all sitting back
after a sumptuous loading. presumably at the
exoense Of the rank and file, IN an expensive
hotel in WASHINGTON.
Tie old boy, with a circulation Of 800, 900 at
MS disposal used that circulation to taunt his
Soo, 600 poor, ~faceless slobs, collectively known
IL the common man, with a display Of the
regallty Of the Tobins.
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