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Editorial
March 7, 1946
The Wilmington Morning Star
Wilmington, New Hanover County, North Carolina
What is this article about?
Editorial criticizes upcoming strikes by telephone workers and railroad unions, arguing that small minorities wield disproportionate power to disrupt national transportation and communications, undermining democracy by overriding majority rule, and calls for Congress to address unionism's excesses.
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Minorities Call Strikes
The strike of telephone workers,
scheduled for this morning, may or
may not have started. It was set for 6
o'clock this morning, long after this
newspaper went to press. When this
was written there was no indication of
settlement or postponement.
Railroad enginemen and trainmen
have scheduled their walk-out for next
Monday. This, however, may be post-
poned for thirty or sixty days, if Presi-
dent Truman appoints a fact-finding
board, and the brotherhoods comply
with the Railway Labor Act's provision.
The point to be emphasized in con-
neetion with both these strikes is that
the number of persons involved is a
small majority of the population but
has the power to tie up the nation's
transportation and a large part of its
communications system.
The case would be the same if all
union labor should strike simultaneous-
ly. Industry would be paralyzed, the na-
tion's business be brought to a stand-
still, not by the decision of the major-
ity of the people but by a small minor-
ity a minority the smaller because
a majority of union workers seldom
take part in a strike vote, with the
strike called by a majority of the work-
ers voting.
In light of this fact the United
States cannot properly consider itself
a democracy, where majority rule pre-
vails, but a dictatorship controlled by
a minority.
How long this condition is to contin-
ue can be determined only by the Con-
gress. Until Congress awakens to its
plain duty, the people of the country
must remain the victims of unionism
which has been tragically misled by its
leadership.
The strike of telephone workers,
scheduled for this morning, may or
may not have started. It was set for 6
o'clock this morning, long after this
newspaper went to press. When this
was written there was no indication of
settlement or postponement.
Railroad enginemen and trainmen
have scheduled their walk-out for next
Monday. This, however, may be post-
poned for thirty or sixty days, if Presi-
dent Truman appoints a fact-finding
board, and the brotherhoods comply
with the Railway Labor Act's provision.
The point to be emphasized in con-
neetion with both these strikes is that
the number of persons involved is a
small majority of the population but
has the power to tie up the nation's
transportation and a large part of its
communications system.
The case would be the same if all
union labor should strike simultaneous-
ly. Industry would be paralyzed, the na-
tion's business be brought to a stand-
still, not by the decision of the major-
ity of the people but by a small minor-
ity a minority the smaller because
a majority of union workers seldom
take part in a strike vote, with the
strike called by a majority of the work-
ers voting.
In light of this fact the United
States cannot properly consider itself
a democracy, where majority rule pre-
vails, but a dictatorship controlled by
a minority.
How long this condition is to contin-
ue can be determined only by the Con-
gress. Until Congress awakens to its
plain duty, the people of the country
must remain the victims of unionism
which has been tragically misled by its
leadership.
What sub-type of article is it?
Labor
Constitutional
What keywords are associated?
Labor Strikes
Union Power
Minority Rule
Democracy
Railway Labor Act
President Truman
What entities or persons were involved?
President Truman
Railroad Brotherhoods
Congress
Editorial Details
Primary Topic
Union Strikes Threatening Democracy
Stance / Tone
Anti Union Criticism Of Minority Control
Key Figures
President Truman
Railroad Brotherhoods
Congress
Key Arguments
Small Minorities In Unions Can Paralyze National Transportation And Communications
Strikes Are Called By A Minority Of Voting Workers, Not The Majority
Union Power Makes The Us A Minority Dictatorship, Not A Democracy
Congress Must Act To Limit Unionism's Excesses