Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 26 January 1950 — Page 20

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A Labor Monopolies

SEN ROBERTSON, Virginia Democrat, sponsors a bill intended to protect the national economy, health and safety against “unreasonable” use of monopoly power by

labor unions. It merits earnest consideration by Congress.

In days when organized labor was weak, court interpretations of the Sherman Anti-Trust Law gave powerful employers an unfair advantage over unions. The Times was among labor's supporters in a long battle to correct that situation. The 1014 Clayton Act, meant to serve that purpose, proved mot fully effective. The 1032 Norris-La Guardia Anti-Injunction Act went much further toward protection of unions. And, in 1941, a U. 8. Supreme Court decision went too far. » » . ” . .

IT HELD that Congress, in the Norris-La Guardia Act, intended union activities—licit or illicit, wise or unwise, right or wrong—to be exempt from anti-trust prosecution if unions acted in self-interest and not in combination with non-union groups. By then, organized labor was no longer weak. Government, under President Roosevelt, had promoted vast growth of unionism in size and power. In many cases, the power is monopolistic. Union leaders can, and do, use it to restrain trade by restricting or stopping the national supply of commodities and services essential to public welfare, health and safety. Because of it, John L. Lewis can decree that coal shall be mined only three days a week, or no days a week. And, because of that 1941 Supreme Court decision, Mr. Lewis and his rivals and imitators in the labor movement can do such things without fear of the anti-trust laws which

Would eradk Gown vn einplovers if they dared 10 du them.

® 5 » » » SEN. Robertson's bill proposes, in effect, to the 1941 decision and to say that union activity undertaken for

of restricting commerce to control production prices Is subject to, and can be punished, by, the anti-

ting in this field is a difficult and delicate task. is to protect the public interest by curbing abuses monopolistic power while at the same time prelabor's necessary Robertsen the

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erlin Roadblocks .

ARE prepared to renew the Berlin airlift if the Russlang’ off-again-on-again blockade between that city ‘estern Germany makes it necessary. American and British officials, however, are not as disposed to take the situation very seriously. They bethe traffic tieup may be due, not to deliberate intent, to the inefficiency of green Russian troops at highway k points. “These flurries,” as U. 8. High Commissioner remarks, are to be expected in Berlin. ¥ ¥ " » . w AT WORST, the Russians are feeling us out again, and + if we refuse to back away they aren't likely to crowd us hard. If all traffic is shut off, as in 1948, the airlift can be ed.

It would be a costly operation, but the only apparent alternatives—to get out of Berlin or to smash the blockades by armed force-—would be worse. Certainly we can't pull out of Berlin. To retreat from . that city now, under Soviet pressure, probably would start a stampede which might prove impossible to stop short of the Atlantic and mean loss of all the ground we have held,

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- at such great cost, since the war ended.

Use of force to break the blockade would be an act hardly short of war and might set the whole cold-war front ablaze. We assuredly don’t want that. ¥ . . : ” w . WHEN the Big Four agreed to division of Germany Into occupational zones the American representatives made a great mistake in not insisting on an American-controlled roadway between the U. 3. zone in Berlin and the U. 8. zone in Western Germany.

But that error can’t be corrected now. So we must

make the best of a bad situation with patience, firmness and calm determination to see the thing through.

: Playing It Safely

i WITH admirable caution and self-restraint, Mrs. Roose-

velt remarks that an award she recently received was “rather unique.”

She means, of course, that the prize is absolutely the first and only one of the sort, kind of. Thus she digs herself a loophole on which she can retreat in case it's discovered that the complimentary gimmick in question actually is being dealt out wholesale. If, in short, anyone attempts to smell a rat, she can crush it in . the bud, rather, Public speakers, like those who live by viewing with alarm through the printed record, soon learn better than to make definite statements of any kind. * » . REMARK casually that Columbus discovered America "in 1492. Like as not some research expert will want to argue that it was 1592 and probably wasn’t even Columbus. The consequent controversies are liable to distract § Attention from the main aim so it's the better part of valor to £ keep it fuzzy. . Even if that process involves an occasional split infini-

tive, a vagrant non sequitur or an inadvertent double

those who make «lose study of these techniques, Mre. R wtiloyment of the slfatultifytng adjective will

. their effective work.

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For Own Gains

World Group Thrown Into Worst Crisis of Its Life

‘WASHINGTON, Jan. 26--8talin is not trying to destroy the United Nations but to use it for his purpose. His boycott of United Nations agen-

cles is not a new technique or fresh policy, but China

is more far-reaching simply because the membership dispute happens to involve directly more international bodies than earlier disputes. This seems to be the majority view here. But a minority think Stalin is definitely determined to destroy the United Nations. ) Both groups agree with Secretary Trygve Lie that the United Nations is now suf fering the worst crisis of its life. Thi has Been piecinated wp Rave In fusal to sit in any meeting where the Nationalist

some such meeting, but when they do it is taken for granted they will be added to the boycott list, Eventually one probably will bow to the Soviet demand to unseat the Chinese Nationalist member.

‘Do It Our Way'

WHATEVER the outcome, the Boviet atti. tude is: “Do it our way, or we won't play.” On the record, that always has been the Soviet attitude on any issue in which it considered its interests involved. Stalin refused to join any international or ganization which might effectively block his aggressive policies. Before the charter was drawn -he insisted that the General Assembly, representative of all members, should have no enforcement power, He specified that the Security Counell should rule, and that he should dominate it through the veto power. He demanded that Russia have three United Nations membership seats instead of the one to which she was entitied—In addi tion to the satellite seats.

‘Misuse of Veto’

80, AS a price of Stalin's adherence, the United Nations.from the start was condemned to ineffectiveness in major fields. Even in the limited fields remaining to it,

. Stalin has refused to recognize its authority

whenever that suited his purpose. Hence constant Boviet misuse of the veto power, the walkout in the Security Council dur ing the 1946 Iranian dispute, and the 1947 boycott of the Trusteeship Council, He never has recognized the Bal Commission or the Korean Commission or tmportant—the Little Assembly. This defiance has not stopped the

with it—which is the main point.

‘Sabotage Medium’

SINCE the United Nations can be used by him as such a convenient propaganda and sabotage medium, without risk of its effective interference with him in China or elsewhere, why should he want to kill it? probably will add Red China as a permanent satellite seat on the Security Council for him? If Stalin withdrew from the United Nations,

WHAT IS LIFE?

Is it life to be bolstered by Miting ways Gaity and riotness all of the days Deceltfulness and unwarranted praise?

Ts it life to struggle through an unkind world Have all your hopes and ambitions hurled Against the rocks, and all your sails unfurled?

Is life a smattering of ups and downs Friendliness on one side, on the other frowns Where security seidom if ever abounds?

Ia it life to be able to do as you please ° Live in luxury, contentment and ease? Then give me life with a mixture of these!

«Frances Richmond, Columbus, Ind.

MY BLESSED YEAR

In December I had a white Christmas, On New Years I whooped until late; February brought me a Valentine, . And Easter a bonnet sedate. Then Springtime in all of its glory, Brought flowers and birds with their trill; Summer, its vacation fun-time, The Fourth of July with its thrill Fall slowly tinged earth with color, Thanksgiving, a feast on my plate; But best of all the year's giving, Is the love that came on our date.

«Josephine Buck, Westfield, Ind.

PACIFIC POLICY .. . By Jim G. Lucas eRe Military

1944. But it won't be the same people.

The joint chiefs plan to leave for the Pacific this week-end. Their first major stop will be Tokyo, where they will ask Gen. MacArthur for his opinions. They want to know whether the ad-

General

Strategy

WASHINGTON, Jan. 26—Gen. Douglas MacArthur will meet the joint chiefs of staff early next week for the first time since

COAL STRIKES

By Fred W. Perkins

Troubles of a Miner's Family

NEW SALEM, Pa. Jan. 26—The exterior of the house in a little coal mining “patch” or village near here was long overdus for a couple coats of paint--pretty dismal.

living room was clean and well furnished, and

Drawing $24 a Week

How do they use the money? Well, said Mr. Miner, food takes most of it, damn near all. Then there's the electric bill, about $8 a

Once a month, maybe, a movie. And Mr. Miner smokes cigarets, about a package a day. But since that adds up to about a $1.40 a week he's thinking of trying to learn to roll his own. _ New clothing? Not for the old folks, but maybe something new for the little girl. Anything to pay on your furniture? All paid for. ‘We're in better shape than most around here, mainly because we didn't get too far behind.” That wallpaper and the paint? “Oh, I put on some of it and paid for the rest. That's our job-—the company owns the house and charges us $8 a month for it, two rooms up and two down. The company pays for repairs when they have to be made, not for things like new wallpaper and painting.”

SIDE GLLANCES

_ mer.

The rent? “That's going on the bill. I owed a fairly big bill, not as big as most, when we went on this strike and the company cut off credit. When we get back to work we'll do as usual, I suppose—pay off the bill with deductions from my pay. With these strikes and short weeks we've been having it's hard for - miner to catch up, It's always been Rat way You seem never to get out of debt at company store, but the company treated us pretty well, at that, until it cut off credit for groceries.”

Forced on Relief

“THE relief people treated us nice,” Mrs. Miner sald. “They seemed to believe us when

we sald we hated to ask for relief, but had to.”

I checked what Mr, and Mrs. Miner had to say with Riley H. Litman, in Uniontown. He is director of the Fayette County Board of Assistance, handling state money and in some cases federal money. With Mr. Litman I worked out a kind of composite picture of the-'1331 miners’ families who were on relief today. The average family is composed of slightly less than six members, including the breadwinAverage age of the miner on relief is about 49. He could make about $80 a week if he worked five days. Average relief payment to miners and their families is $72 every two He owes about $200 including his companystore bill. But some are in the red up to $800, and a $600 debt is not unusual. Many miners owe money on automobiles. They generally buy new cars for pleasure or family use, but ride to work in jalopies.

Company Deductions DOCTORS’ bills are lower among miners, partly because of company deductions for the company doctors, partly because of the union's welfare fund. 2 Since Jan. 9, Mr. Litman said, his office has received 2050 relief applications, about 1800 from miners. Some applicants have been turned down, he said, because the office found they had resources of their own-—new autos that could be sold, war bonds that could be redeemed, houses that could be mortgaged.

By Galbraith.

them.

‘Readers Want Facts’ Chas. Ginsberg, Clty. hy On J. Schneider, writing In the forum, is Mke the preacher who once got into an argument with one of his laymen. The preacher sald he was open for conviction, but would like to see the man who could convince him. Mr, Schneider, who tries to argue socialism, proven himself totally ignorant of the subs ject. Not understanding, how can he argue soclalism? He is like the fellow who says he can speak French but could not understand it. Now A. J., before you blow off steam again, let me remind you of a statement you made in the Hoosier Forum recently: . but denied n 80 many of the world’s industrial republics of labor.” In my letter published in a later issue of The Times, I askbd “. . . where has there ever been an industrial republic of labor?" You have failed to date to even make an attempt to answer. If you were honest you would admit to the readers of the Hoosier Forum that such never existed and that you are mistaken. To further argue with one who is uninformed is a waste of time. The readers of the Hoosier Forum want facts,

What Do We Need in 1950?

3-Point Program

toner, 7707 N. Me By nt oi should do in 1950 is te start movements for: ONE: A new and modern

hotel. TWO: A tion a THREE: Removal of the churches from the War Me-

FOUR: % new combination court house and eity hall.

FIVE: A state office bullding. It's a big order and will cost a lot of money but Indianapolis is a big city now and can do big things. ® &

downtown conven-

What are your ideas on ways to improve Indianapolis during - 1950? Send your suggestions to: “1950 Editor,” The Times, 214 W. Maryland St

What Others Say

LABOR’'S best hope is for the election of a new Congress in November that will bs com= mitted to Taft-Hartley repeal.—William Green, AFL president, .

* AS A general roposition, the government ought to get out of the loan business. — Sen. Robert Taft (R) Ohlo. * * © WE BELIEVE that about $15 billion can do the job (of European Recovery Program). That would be about $5 billion more than has been appropriated.—ECA Administrator Paul Hoflman.

LAW ENFORCEMENT . . . By Bruce Biossat

City Crime Problem

WASHINGTON, Jan. 26—No crimes are more horrifying _ than sex assults and murders. Yet it's plain from accounts in the press these days that we aren't making enough headway against

From more than a few cities come reports that women are afraid to venture forth onto the streets at night. Too often the offenders who viciously

vance of Asiatic communism - " has breached our defenses, THE joint chiefs say their EE Pacific trip was planned long ' ago. They compare it with one GEN. MacARTHUR last to Western Europe last year met with the and, more recently, one to

joint chiefs when they ac- . eompanied President Roosevelt to Pearl Harbor %, six years ago R to plan a final assault on Ja-

pan. Then, all the joint chiefs were equal In rank

Gen. Bradley

to Gen, MacArthur, a five-star officer, When he meets with their successors next week, he

will outrank all his superiors.

Although an Army officer on active duty—and subject to the Army chief of staff in military matters—as Japan's supreme commander, Gen. MacArthur is answerable only to the Allies for his occupation policies.

nominal

rmy in 1930, Gen. Bradley, chairman of the joint chiefs, was a major. Gen. J. Lawson Collins, Army Chief of Staff, was a captain studying at Ft. Leavenworth, First Lt. - Hoyt Vanderberg -— now chief of the Air Staff-—had the

Alaska. However, it is known

to be tied closely to the mili tary picture on Formosa, where Chinese Nationalist troops are preparing to resist a Communist invasion from the mainland. An {tinerary approved last week will take the joint chiefs within 250 miles of They will stop briefly at Adak in the Aleutians and then go to Japan. From Japan, to Okinawa, stop at several Pacific islands, and spend two days with Adm. A, W, Radford, Pacific Fleet commander, at Pear! Harbor. A Defense Department spokesman said their schedule was “adjustable.” He pointed out it 1s a few hours’ flight from Okinawa to Formosa.

» . . GEN, MacARTHUR fis expected to urge them to make

port which finally brought the Formosan matter to a head. The Joint Chiefs

oe rp 1 o- "| stand, walk, push, put. shove and run! Why do they call it baby-sitting?"

GEN. BRADLEY af oe fense Secretary Louls Jo n were to alr their views on Formosa at a closed session of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee this week. A delay In the upset their Pacific itinerary, Republican members want

could

frankly without appearing to be in revolt against the Sslon of Ms, commandsr in

strike them down are not caught ave pultished.

THE experts soy many of the nation’s growing cities simply don't have adequate police forces to protect their citizens. In recent decades communi ties have been spreading widely, multiplying streets in sprawling confusion. These streets should be patroled, but rare is the big city with sufficient policemen to do the job,

. - - PHILADELPHIA experimented with a stepped-up force

“in areas prowled by sex of-

fenders and other criminals. Crime rates in those zones promptly dropped. Unfortunately the city wasn't able to boost permanently the number of policemeri stationed in danger spots; That's. the fix most of the troubled communities are in. They need many more police-

power the federal government to séize sex criminals who cross state borders and imprison them for 10 to 20 years. Rep. Chelf claims the proposal has wide support,

ANOTHER place where federal authority can have useful effect is In postal regulations governing the distribution of sex publications through the mails. There's no excuse whatsoever for letting such “literature” get spread around. Crime experts blame this material for many sex offenses, especially hy younger men. : If the Justice Department rates the Chelf bill yseful and workable, it ought to pass. Likewise, postal rules should be tightened or better enforced. Anything more government can do to check the interstate movement of sex eriminals should be done. But in the end it is the cities which must stamp out these brutal attacks,

AN Indiana woman of 82 split ‘two cords of kindling wood. We're hoping that -coal strikes will be a thing of the past by the time we're that old. IT'S always easier to think of something to do after it is too late to do it.