t - International Brotherhood Of Electrical Workers

FEBRUARY, 1940
dent of the C. I. O. Seamen's union, although presumably
they are engaged in exactly the same kind of
work.
The ELECTRICAL WVORKEIS JOURNAL helieves that
this well-calculated program of publicity will fail.
The American people will not believe that workers
are racketeers. If the general staff uncovers a racketeer
here or a racketeer there, they still will not succeed
in smearling the unions of the American Federation
of Labor.
He Loves It was all a mistake! A misunderstanding !
Labor The prosecutiion of labor under laws inapplicable
to labor was not an act of hostility.
It was a token of love. At least so it appears
from Thurman Arnold's statement on January 27 that
ill some cases the Sherman Act is the only protection
labor has, and I hat labor will favor such prosecutions.
As Hlitler has "protected" the Austrians from Austria,
the Czechoslovakian s from Czechoslovakia, the
Poles from Poland as Stalin has "protected" the
Estonians from Esionia, the Lithuanians from Lithuania,
the Latvians from iLatvia and the Finns from
Finliand, so now a self-appointed leader in the person
of Assistant Attorney General Arnold offers to "protect"
labor from itself.
As the sell-sacrificing tyrants of Europe offer their
soothing love-potions to their intended beneficiaries
by bayonet, machine-gun and bomb, their American
imitator offers labor "'protection" in the form of prose
cutions, fines and jail sentences under the anti-trust
laws.
It is difficult to rejoice over this revelation of a new
era of friendship.
Pegler Pegs Mr. Westbrook Pegloer, master grouch,
Away the Ned Sparks among the columnists,
denounces, condemns and then instructs
William Green, president of the American
Federation of Labor. Mr. Pegler blamles Mr. Green for
his alleged failure in bringing to justice alleged racketeers
in two cases among A. I'F. of L. unions. Mr. Pegler
shrewdly guesses that neither Mr. Green nor anyone
else will dare to ward off his attack because Mr. Green
would be immediately accused of dlefending racketeers.
The ELECTRICAL WORKERS' JOURNAL is not afraid
of this charge. its years of decrying corruption, its
ardent spirit of reform anti its belief in the moral
forces that lie in the labor movement lead it to say
"pooh" to Mr. Pegler.
Mr. Pegler has only himself become morally indignant
after the federal governmont had brought
charges againlst two labor leaders.r . . Peglkr moves
Upoll the assumption that racketeers are powerful
figures outside the law, easily recognized in the labor
movement and carrying on their nefarious practices
in the open. This is not true. Racketeers are powerful
figures within the law, buttressed by highly paid legal
talent, principally concealed, carrying on their nefarious
practices unbeknown even to unionists.
If Mr. Green were to undertake to compete with
the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of
Justice, he would first have to set up a bureau of investigation
quite as competent and powerful and he
would at the same time have to set up an arsenal of
arms and a company of unofficial G-mlen. In short,
without the majesty of the law behind him, MrI. Green
woild have to usurp the duties of Mr. J. Edgar iHoover
and it is only to warpecd mrinds like, that of Mr. Pegler
that Mlr. (Gteen appears culpable and ineriffective.
Lewis's P'attern Persons mystified by John L.
of Conduct Lewis's attacks on Franklin D)elano
Roosevelt have only to turn back
and study for a moment Mr. Lewis's career. Mr. Ilewis
has advanced or sought to advance his personal ambitions
over the bodies, so to speak, of four important
men.
A generation ago Mr. Lewis was an olbscure local labor
leader out of a job and he was picked up off the
streets by Samuel Compers, president of the American
Federation of Labor. Mr. Gompors gave Mr. Lewis his
chance but within a very short period lMr. Lewis was
appearinlg t a convention of the A. F. of i., demanding
that Mr. Gompers be dereated for the pretsidency and
.\r. Lewis be elected.
Mr. Lewcis never obtained this objective but it
was a forceful introduction to his pattern of conduct.
AMr. I.ewis became president of the United Mine Workers
of America by a process of undermining his superior
officer and friend, Frank Hayes. Mr. Hayes
was defeated for office and Mr. Lewcis became
the president.
The third stepping stone to Mr. Lewis's prominence
was William Green who at one time was secretary
of the Mine Workers. Mr. Lewis was president.
Mr. Green as Mr. Iewis's friend performed countless
favors andi services for the Mine Workers' president
only to reap a reward of caluimny, ridicule and character
assassination. If Mr. Lewis had succeeded Mr.
Green he would be president of the American Federation
of Labor today and Mr. Green relegated lo the
sctrap heal). This is the picture then up to 1940.
There is little doubt that Mr. Roosevelt has been
Mr. Lewis's friend. There is little doubt that he has
performedI countless services for Mr. Lewis's organization
and now Mr. Roosevelt is receiving the same
treatment as Mr. Gompers, Mr. lHayes and Mr. Green.
Mr. Lewis is undertaking to help Mr. Roosevelt to the
scrap heap.
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