The Augusta Courier

Is Labor Union Racketeering Above The Law—Senator Goldwater

Power To Compel Membership Sets Up Dangerous, Massive Political Strength

Senator Barry Goldwater, of Arizona, in his demands for control of labor union racketeering, hits the nail on the head when he says that the unions have a great monopoly due to the fact that they are immune from the anti-trust laws, immune from the federal courts and immune from taxation.

He says the power of compulsory unionism transformed into a massive and irresponsible political power is "the most pressing and dangerous internal problem which we face in America today."

Senator Goldwater expressed his views in testifying before a joint House Labor Subcommittee that he did not believe the Kennedy bill, passed by the Senate would be good for America.

Effective Legislation

The Arizonian, outspoken advocate of effective labor legislation, contends that the Senate-passed bill would not remedy the abuses spotlighted by the Senate Rackets Committee and would not strike at the actual "disease."

Then he explained in detail what he meant.

"The disease I speak of," he said, "is power. and nothing else."

Power of the nature that allows Hoffa to threaten the entire Nation and to issue this threat with impunity and the ability to carry it through without the laws being able to touch him, and in fact, protecting him.

"Power that allows Al Hayes to uphold the expulsion of three of his members because they dared to speak out against a position of the union, exercising a right which the Constitution recognizes as inherent but which the union denies.

Brutal Strike at Kohler

"Power that allows Walter Reuther to carry on the brutal strike at Kohler, defying the clergy, the bar, and the public, and even exerting that power in another State to prevent for 3 years the extradition of a goon who beat up a nonstriker.

"Power that allows George Meany to openly tell the Congress of the United States just exactly what he will permit to be written into labor reform law and extending his dictates into the corridors and rooms of the Capitol where his lawyers wrote amendments to the labor bill.

"Power that allows COPE (the AFL CIO Political Action Committee) to cross State lines to engage in politics in violation of the spirit of both the Taft-Hartley and the Corrupt Practices Act with compulsory dues money taken from Republicans and Democrats alike.

"Power that flaunts the laws of the land and scorns the rights and prerogatives of the people.

Labor Leaders

Power that is denied, and properly so to other segments of our society. but which is used by labor leaders with the knowledge they are protected by law and that their strength in Congress insures the continuance of those laws.

Explaining that under compulsory unionism, corrupt leaders hold a clear-cut power of economic life or death over their members." Senator Goldwater added:

"Now let us take this compulsory unionism and go one step further-and it is a step which has already been taken.

Let the union official take the overwhelming economic power he holds and transform it into compulsory political support of any party, faction of a party, candidate or issue as chosen by the union official.

In a single stroke the union official can transform the union dues originally collected for economic purposes into a war chest for political purposes limited only by the size of the union treasury.

Every union member under such a compulsory system must continue to support such political activities with his union dues.

Failure to pay dues is grounds for expulsion from the union, followed by black-listing on every union job.

A union member can be deprived of employment opportunities by his union official for refusing to pay political assessments, or dues which would be used for political purposes."