Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1942-11-27

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freedom Of expression which many
newspapers and therefore hesitate,
work was many times in vain. l
feel that the organization which
makes it possible for US to express
ourselves is due many congratula-
tions. / know that its worth will
be proven many times.
A MODERN UNION
Our Union today, about 115 years
after the establishment Of the first
Union in our country, is very
much different type Of organization
than was ever dreamed Of in those
early days. In fact, it is even dis
tinctive among the Unions of to-
day. The officers Of Local II with
the support of practically 1000
Of the membership, have been able
to develop our Union into the big
gest factor in our Community. We
do not hesitate to claim this, we
admit only that the development
has just begun.
Both officers and members take
pride in displaying membership
card in Local No. IL as it is today.
They can claim as their accom-
plishments, not only the best labor
contracts in the country, but also
the best labor union hall in the
country Of any organization near
its size, also a Band fully uniform
ed and well trained, baseball teams,
softball teams, basketball teams,
bowling leagues, camera club, ath-
letic club, blood donors club, de-
fense training clases and service
mems auxiliary together with many
other activities.
This is all very different from
the Knights Of Labor who organ
lied about 169 as a secret organiza-
ton and who had to maintain their
secrecy for about u years before
becoming strong enough to openly
declare themselves a political in
fluence in the economic life of the
country.
We owe a debt Of gratitude to
the labor leaders Of previous years
who have fought and laid the
groundwork for our present organ
ization. However, / believe that in
years to come, people will no doubt
say the same of the membership of
the present labor unions.
PROPERTY VS.. HUMAN RIGHTS
1t is only just that we make the
observation that most laws of our
Country are framed in the interests
of the property-owning and indus
trial classes.
Property rights are protected
from all angles, while at the same
time human rights have only begun
to be given consideration. Certain
ly, in democracy it is necessary to
see that property rights are given
ample protection as they are a
basic principle of democracy, but
on the other hand. human rights
should be given no less than equal
consideration.
We are told that by increasing un-
employment insurance, old age
pensions, workmen's compensation
or advancing the idea of govern
ment sponsored disqualification and
medical care, taxes would have to
be raised so high as to impoverish
the people or it would bankrupt
the country; yet, when it comes to
the protection of privately owned
property, and particularly that
property engaged in busines ven-
lures, there seems to be no thought
of the amount of cost involved.
LABOR LEGISLATION
OF course, Labor has the ability
to force passage of favorable legis-
lation, but even after it succeeds
to a limited extent, it is faced with
courts, which for the most part are
presided over by judges who come
from the ranks of employers at
torneys and too often cripple la
boris economic efforts by the
granting of injunctions. The in
junction in this connection is put
forth as the most effective method
of destroying morale and defeating
labor's efforts by forcing inactivity
and stagnancy.
cannot help but feel that in the
coming meeting of the state legis-
lature those officers of Local No.
u, which includes the writer, who
have been designated to register as
official lobbyists to act on behalf of
our organization, should be spe-
officially instructed to urge the pas
sage of anti-injunction legislation
for our State. The Local should
f,,,+bar Yu+ forth its efforts TO