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Show Sit ftp Comment ! !! , The sensational labor union racket Investigation by the Senate already has made it clear that: 1. Union monopoly provides a fertile field for operations of hoodlums hood-lums and gangsters whose monopolistic power makes it possible for them to ignore the welfare of both union members and industry. 2. The political power now being exercised by monopolistic unions who raise huge sums is a definite threat to decent government in many areas. 3. The abuse of monopolistic power by hoodlum-ridden unions would be even worse if unions succeed in destroying the secondary boycott provisions of Taft-Hartley Act. The evidence adduced before the special Senate Committee headed by Sen. John McClellan (D-Ark.) has created a sensation even In blase Washington, which is accustomed to investigations which make headlines. It is" widely recognized that the McClellan committee has uncovered un-covered a trail of graft and corruption seldom equalled in this country. Sen. McClellan expects to show that this trail leads into 20 or 30 cities of the country and perhaps more. SENSATIONAL BUT NOT NOVEL The evils bared by the committee's investigations into activities of the Teamsters' Union in Portland, Oregon, are startling but this is not the first time union gansterism has been uncovered, A few years ago a House subcommittee disclosed similar abuse of union power graft, favoritism, illegal acts in Detroit and other cities And the Taft-Hartley Act, it is well known, grew out of many abuses of big labor unions, including strikes during the war; repeated oppression of employers for private or union gain, and evidence of graft and corruption. UNION POLITICAL POWER Washington politicians were especially es-pecially interested in the evidence of the grab for political power by hoodlums already exercising inordinate power in the Teamsters' Union. Money emanating from this union's activities found its way into the political fund of the AFL - CIO political machine, which boasted of victories in the Northwest in Senatorial and other contests. In fact, big labor union politicians claimed credit for the election of United States Senators in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana. TAKING OVER A STATE The evidence included that of a Portland gambler who said that the Teamsters' Union helped defeat a mayor of Portland, Ore., because he did not cooperate in plans to expand vice operations. The plan was, the witness said, to take over the whole state of Oregon. The claim was made that the hoodlums operating in and with the Teamsters' Union helped elect the district attorney in a move to control vice in the city. The committee has avoided anything savoring of partisan politics in the hearing. Politicians, however, were interested in disclosure of the Portland newspaper that a United States Senator apparently at the request of the Teamsters' Union made a speech backing election of the district attorney. ABUSE OF BOYCOTT POWER A Portland cafe owner said that a Teamsters' Union picket line closed down his business when he refused to accept pinball machines from a company supported by Teamsters' officials. Added evidence of the manner in which union officials use the power of boycott was given by the same cafe owner. He said that deliveries of coffee, bread and other food were prevented by the union. CONCLUSIONS REACHED Chairman McClellan of the racket investigating committee says that evidence shows rather conclusively that there was a tie-up between Teamsters' officials and underworld figures in an effort to control vice operations in Portland. He also said that the committee has received enough "tips" to keep it busy uncovering unsavory situations involving union racketeering racketeer-ing for two years. |
