OCR Text |
Show ABOVE THE By LYTLE HULL TT IS DIFFICULT to understand why several million grown-up men who have lived in a free country coun-try can allow a few politically-minded politically-minded labor leaders to place their personal liberty in jeopardy. Let us say that 90 percent of the steel workers are members of the union and 10 percent are not. If the 10 percent are compelled against i their wills to become members of j Murray's oligarchy, it will to all j intents and purpose strengthen that man's control over all the mem-jbers mem-jbers by about 100 percent. In other 'words, he widl be their supreme master. I Don't these men like freedom? .Don't they want to be able to quit a union if they wish and go Into another an-other union, or to work without Joining Join-ing any union? Why do they want a master? Murray didn't "master" anyone in Scotland where he came from. The Scots are too smart to let themselves In for that sort of servitude. Maybe he figured we were dumb. Maybe he was right. President Truman's outspoken opposition to the Taft-Hartley law reportedly cost turn a great number num-ber of labor votes in 1948. Those members of unions who had read the law were quick tq. see that lt returned re-turned to them much of the freedom free-dom of which the Wagner act had deprived them. But the Fair Deal didn't seem to "catch the drift," and now doesn't seem to realize (hat there are millions of working men who are capable of understanding under-standing that enforcement of the pnion shop provision means tighter bands upon their wrists without any compensation whatsoever. It doesn't help them win a strike; ft doesn't strengthen their hands In in arbitration meeting; lt doesn't live them any greater control of he Fair Deal than their masters ilready seem to enjoy. But it does do away with just that ouch potential opositlon to the r-litrary r-litrary and oft misused power rver their lives which the arrogant abor leaders now exercise. The Taft-Hartley law was adopted irhen these leaders became alarm-tgly alarm-tgly presumptuous. But they don't teem to have grasped the Import ot he hint |