LABOR DAY: ONE LAST FLING

Monday is Labor Day, the traditional but unofficial end of summer. The great trade union movement isn't what it used to be, what with private-sector union membership having steadily declined from 36 percent of the work force in 1952 to about 11 percent today. The only growth in union membership today is in government-worker unions. This revolution in composition, with its profound implications for remaining private-sector members, is under-noticed by most of the national media.

The three-day weekend for many means one last trip to the lake, for others the start of the fall political season, for still others the beginning of serious attention to high-school, college and professional football. With school back in session, we can enjoy a holiday and look forward to the coming games of autumn.