Montana labor news., 1949-01-06
The Montana Labor News will not
be responsible for Views of their
Correspondents.

CoPOuQt
and a%nalyze a gwen question; then give
an unbiased presentation tn the public
80 that an opinion san be formed on the
merits al the case.
Because newspapers and columnisls
did not do this. the Taft-IIartley law
will be repealed National magazines
and newspapers printed p%ro-manage-
meni stories; refused to present labor's
side. The onls publicity labor could
get to the public va, through lis own
publications.
No one has ia defend a good law.
Fair minded citizens will rally to the
defense OF good legislation. The special
Watchdog committee oi which former
senator Ball oi Minnesota was chair
man had nothing but good To- say about
the law The public knew different.
They read in the papers OF violence
caused by injunclions. they read Of
police wrcckine a union meeting hall i:
III ncwSrcels thcy saw policemen WELD
ing clubs on the hcad> OF United States
citizens: they saw riots when police Of
iiccrS tried TO break up crowds oi strike
Sympathizers. They knew violence was
the result OF police officers trying to
interpret what was or was not mass
picketing.,
The first report issued by the watch
dog committee was handed newsmcn
for publication before minority mem
bers had had a. chance to read or an
alyze It's contents. Why: Ii the report
had been fair. and accurate, why were
not the minof5y members allowed to
present their minority report at the
same time2
MIR. Lawrence talks about CLOSED
shops outside the labor movement
The Medical Association; The Bar
Association, and the United States
Army dominated By West Point Alumni.
The right 10 work is being swept
away Mr.. Lawrence says. That is
quite a statement from a man who is
supposed to mold public opinion. There
is but slight difference between the out-
lawcd Closed shop and the legal
union shop under Tait-Hartley.
The CLOSED shop means that an
applicant for work must be a member
Of the bargaining union before apply
ing for work in a given shop; while in
the union shop" the man need not be a
member before. but MUST join the bar
gaining union within so days after GO
ing to work. .Aitcr 80 days then. you
have a closed shop condition because
every man employed is a member of the
union. II the applicant after going to
work, should fail 10 pay his dues, the
union can then drop him and he thus
loses his employment. This is Taft
Hartley law; not union law Mr.. Law
renee would like the public TO believe
that unions are responsible.
The right to work" is not Swept
away Anyone. union or otherwise,
can seek work just as before. II he is
capable and there is an opening, he will
be hired. No competent workman is
denied union membership unless he has
been guilty oil rafting" and many
unions even take in such men under am
nesty. 1t would be interesting to have
some %columnist, preferably Mr.. Law
renee. compile a list OF all men who
were denied union membership prior
to the Taft-Ilartley. Such a list would
no doubt include all the communists,
thugs and racketeers that are left in the
country.
There is nothing fundamentally
wrong with a closed shop. 1t protects
skilled crafts from an invasion OF in
lcrior workmen. 1t is democratic for a
board OF physicians to pass on the skill
Of a young inferno; but it is commu-
nistic Tor a labor union to pass on the
qualifications of its potential members.
When columnists such as Mr.. Law
renee begin to give the public a fair
appraisal of any given law. citing its
defects as well as its good points, then
he need not worry about dictatorial
methods. In his writings, he himself
is guilty OF that which he condemns
in others. He would be the first to shout
"UnconStitutionalw ii a similar law
shacklcd the free press as the Taft
Hortlrk lau- ekarttec 1ahor