Evening star., 1953-12-13
Newspaper Strike Held
Proof of Lubor's Power
Writer Sees National Danger
In Rule by Union Bosses
By Fronk R. Kent

In Rule by Union Bosses
BY Fronk R. Kent
The strike Of the photoengravers, by
which 81 men (the voting margin re-
jecting arbitration) for II days para
lyzed every newspaper in New York
City. should have considerable effect
upo' public opinion in the country and
upon congressional action at the COM
ing session of Congress. One Of the
major issues then will be the admins
trat:or amendments to the Taft-Hart-
ley Act, which President Eisenhower
has pledged will make the law fair alike
to labor, industry and the public"
Already. before they know what the
amendments are. the labor bosses are
lining up to oppose any change in the
law except those pleasing to them.
Their basic demand will be repeal Of
the act in its entirety, thus leaving
them wholly unrestricted and the pub
lie wholly unprotected. It seems in
credible, considering the way they
voteu in 1852, that the American peo-
pie will tolerate any such action. Il
particularly seems incredible in view Of
the things made clear in the New York
strike
One is that strikes such as these be-
come effective only because of their
support by other unions, neither the
leaders nor the membership of which
have any knowledge of the facts. Thus.
in New York approximately 400 en-
gravers were supported by more than
20.0GC members of other unions, all of
wnoni promptly became unemployed
partisans in a struggle about the
merits of which they knew nothing and
Notwithstanding that this partisanship
was in violation of their separate. con-
tracts. This meant complete suspen-
sion Of the newspapers. In such cir
cumstances, the strikers are bound
ultljnately to gain part of their de-
mands through arbitration or agree
lnent.
That is the invariable end Of sucn
strikes all over the country. In recent
years the strikers from the start have
had active support and encouragement
from the White House Now, for the
t1rst time IN 20 years. with the Presi-
dent unobligated politically to the labor
bosses, they lack this support. Yet,
such Is their power that the result will
be relatively the same. The time has
arrived when the labor bosses are able
TO strangle almost any manufacturing
institution into submission.
Once concessions have been made as
result Of such strikes, industry knows
that at the end of the new contract
If not before-other demands surely
Will be made and another strike threat
ened 1t is an unending procession,
and means that. as the law is now, in
dustry practically has lost control of
its costs. This is a pretty bad state
to be in-one that, in the long run.
must damage the workers as well as
the employers and the public. The
point has been made that the New
York strike was also a blow at the
freedom Of the press as guaranteed by
the constitution. Why, it is asked. if a
strike can be called by a labor boss
because ne is dissatisfied with the
wages paid by a newSpaper-why can
ne not call strike because he does
not like its editorial or news direction?
Perhaps the courts would not permit
that. but the end may be achieved by
1nd1rection-for example, by inculcat-
ing rear that outSpoken editorials on
lanor arrogance may lead to costly
strikes. 1t is not pleasant to charge
Cnat the lack Of fortnight editorials
concerning the plight of the New York
papers was due to fear. Nevertheless.
there were few editors and fewer COL
umnlsts to express themselves force
1ully. The New York situation was
an especially serious one for the future.
For example, the new Mayor had in
dlspensable support in his campaign
from the labor bosses. the left-winp
Liberal Party, the American Labor
Party and the Daily Worker.
Also among Mr.. Wagner's supporters
was Michael Quill, head of the Trans
portation Union, whose declared am
oltlon Is to unionize the New York
ponce force. Asked, before election
Wnether he would go along with Mr..
Qu!ll IN this. Mr.. Wagner evaded a
reply Among other things we ara
told. which the Wagner election as.
Sures, is the nomination and election
OF FRANKLIN D. Roosevelt. jr., for Gov
ernor. A three-term CONGRESSMAN. Mr..
Roosevelt has made no record to speak
OF and has not earned great deal of
respect from his House colleagues.
But he is the close personal friend
OF Walter Reuther. head of the CIO and
a member of the ADA. All of which
seems to mean that Democratic success
IN New York next November, with a
wagner as Mayor and a Roosevelt as
Governor, would put the labor bosses
IN a dominant position in our, greatest
State. What it adds up to is that, II
the American public is going to be
adequately protected. the protection has
got to come through Taft Hartley and