I talked to Wheatley later in his office about the sentiment of the union membership. He told me that "Friday night the men didn't feel like working anymore until something was done about it.... If we get a man seriously hurt or killed on a ship, they don't work the ship that day. We have that policy. I had to go out of town, but when I got back, the men still wanted something done. I suggested that the executive board go down to city hall, but the men said "No! We're all going down there.' So we all went.
May 10, 1948
The witches' brew called the Mundt Bill - a straight
dose of poison for American civil liberties - has been
reported out and plans are underfoot to steamroller the
measure through Congress. This bill concocted by the House
Un-American Committee aims at driving the Communist
(Stalinist) Party and its "front" organizations out of
political life. In addition to that, under its broad
language, persecution can be started of all working class,
liberal, and trade union organizations.
The bill defines the Communist (Stalinist) movement as an international conspiracy in the service of a foreign (Russian) government to set up a totalitarian dictatorship in this country and lists punishment for all organizations coming under the bill.
"Subversive" citizens, as defined by the bill, are
forbidden to hold any federal job or even to apply for a
passport. The Communist Party must register the names and
addresses of all members with the Attorney General. All so-
called communist front organizations must keep a full
membership list in their offices for the inspection of the
FBI at any time.
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