The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1955-01-29
fright To Work"

From the Windsor Daily Star. ~. ION The Record
by Dorothy Thompson we'll known Author Commentator
traveller daughter Of a departed Protestant minister
ION THE RECORD"
Windsor Daily stsrj
BY Dorothy Thompson
The so-ealed Right TO Work" laws which exist in ~
states the number target Of the trade Unions who
are all out for their repeal by amendment the Federa
TshHariIey law
"rsft.Hsrtey" which few years ago called by
M unions the Slave Labor Law longer in the fore
ground Of the struggle Its dire consequences TO the work
hq man failed TO maferialize
But as union leaders employed semsne phrases in their
campaign against TaftHarey have the advocates OF the
state laws now under fire. Nobody TO deny mans
uht 10 work." The title used 10 describe the laws Is de-
signed to prejudice workers and public in their favor
Union leaders claim that in average hourly earnings
states with such laws behind those without them TO
what this due quite other factors than the statutes
has not think. been effectively analysed.
However and regardless OF statistics there seems TO
70 an issue involved apart from semanies and neparabe
from general principle.
CONTROL POSSIBLE?
The issue Isl Should American citizen be compelled
on any organization by the OF economic sanctions
AGAINST him il he does not? And II he is compelled how,
\ in the long he and his fellow members exercise
effective control the organizations
All organizations. whatever their purpose defseo
controlled by few men, who make and administer their
policies their entire time for which they are paid
task The role Of their membership is largely confined
10 giving Withholding consent Now the most effective
means Of Withholding resign from the orsan
ration.
The leaders Of free organizations who wish to retain
knd enlarge their must continually seek TO as
implement the real wishes OF their members
beyond the principle Of majority rule
may wish TO leave the Republican or Democratic Party
because sympathetic TO its majority policies may
indI stoe az
in the Board Directors but because have lost con-
fdence in the industry itself
may decide to resign from land stop paying dues to-
organization because believe II has gone aled OF the
purposes for which joined H. In short nobody in his r9n'
mind would buy industrial stock that he cannot sell OF
join organization from which he cannot resign
CAPTIVE MEMBERS
When the members Of organization retain This power
OF Withholding consent its officials are compelled 70 aPp
70 reason for all their acts But II they ho'd 'ne me
ship captive they not compelled to give reasons TOT any
thing they may decide.
They may set in train series Of actions primarily de-
signed increase their personal power They may act reek
sly and arbitrarily without due consideration TOT me "
suits. And the probability Of mere human error !" '"s
leaders increased in ratio TO the decline IN eneeSe COZ"
sent by the followers.
II is extremely convenient for union leaders u every
worker is compelled 70 ion union TO get or hold lop
u is more convenient when union dues ana De"e"'
are collected by the employer out OF Payeheqves'
SOMETIMES CONVENIENT
II convenient for many employers to have closed
shop bargain collectively without possibility OF minority
dissent condition that create eomforfaDe P'0'ose
eollvsion
The trouble is that II too convenient u reduces me
workers status more than TO that OF eommody 70
be bought and sold bloc. reduces the Poss'ON OF
creating more genuinely free and democratic 'ndur''
system. freezes and creates monopoly OF the s'S'Os quo
At least that's the way see IT,