The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1957-07-04

soul?"
About 1900 years before Christ,
Esau, the grandson of Abraham,
solo his birthright--his inheritance
for one meal. called in the Bible,
"a mess Of pottage" Through the
centuries, millions of mortals have
answered the question asked by
Christ by exchanging their souls
for alluring promises which turned
out to be merely 'messes Of pot
tage."
Powerful labor leaders who have
sold their souls are finding that
Judgment Day is here for them.
They are accused OF the abuse OF
the power and confidence en-
trusted to them by Congress and
by millions Of workers
Today, millions of labor union
members are asking two questions:
Have our leaders sold their souls
and the souls of our unlons?"
and IF so, what price win We have
TO pay?"
Dave Beck is paying a big price.
Apparently he has done great
damage not only 10 himself but
to the Transfers Union which he
has headed for many years. II he
has violated the law, If he has
caused his Union to lose its in
tegrity, not only he but millions
of honest workers win also suffer
greatly.
If the investigation reveals that
leaders of many unions have sold
their souls. the entire labor union
movement may have to join IN
paying the price
What Is the price? Let's be
specific and try to answer the
Masters question that was asked
at the beginning of this column.
The price could result in setting
the labor movement back ~ the
Franklin D. Roosevelt days.
Does that seem impossible? Wen
let's examine the situation.
Congress vested great powers in
labor unions. Most important OF
all, it gave them the special priv
ilege of acting as national n1onop-
oheS. Because labor unions are
visions of the Anti Trust Laws
they are able. through nationwide
strikes to halt such vital national
functions as steel production. gas
oline production, railroad trans
portauon, international shipping,
etc.
Such powers are not entrusted
to the owners and managers of
those great industries II IS doubt
fui that even the President OF the
United States has sucn power.
But labor, you viii remember,
used this power TO practically close
all steel production in the United
States during the Korean War,
II Congress becomes convinced
that labor officials and labor un-
ions have lost their souls-tl1elr
integrity. their morality - then
Congress may withdraw labor,s
special privileges, principally the
legal right to act as monOpolieS.
If this were done, nationwide
strikes would cease to exist and the
sauctity of the picket line would
become a theory.
1t appears, however, that Con-
gress VIII not be forced TO take
such action George Meanv. PreSl-
dent of the AFI-CTO, and other
labor leaders OF unusual integrity
already have taken positive actions
TO clean house of rsCketeers and
other dishonest union officials.
They viii not stand by idly while
other officials sell the souls OF
labor. They are taking positive
action. For example, the AFLr-
CIO Executive Council on recon-
mendation of an Ethical Practices
Committee, has ouSted Beck as
an AFL-CIO Ice-PreSIdent. Sus-
pended one union and placed two
others on probation on charges of
corruption. II will hc far better
Tor labor, and for the country, If
labor cleans its own house, Com
mcndably. it shows every indica-
tion Of doing just that.