Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-06-26
Teams+ers
Our to Beat
Legislators
Propaganda Drive Seen
as Abuse by Union
Nv wESTBROOK PEGLER


l. the AFL recently announced
a decision by its executive board,
the governing body OF 650,OOO
men and women, which is i'm
portant to all of us, for II has
the sound of a threat TO buy
the election TO Congress Of men
whom II favors and buy the de-
feat Of men who have earned its
enmity by voting and debating
against racketeering and other
abusive practices of unions.
The announcement said the
board authorized Dan Tobin. the
president, to spend as much
money as is necessary TO ac-
quaint the public. and especially
labor, with the records OF GER
tain congressman"
That is a neat way of putting
a sinister purpose.
The locals which make up
and support the international,
or parent union, which has made
this decision, at the conservative
rate of $40 year per member,
have an income OF around S20,-
100000 and the parent body,
itself, gets aorund $1,000, 900
from one source or another.
OF course, this is not the only
union which will spend great
slush fund in this campaign.
THREE OF the men singled
l. out for defeat by the teams
tiers are Howard Smith OF
Virginia, Clare Hoffman of
Michigan and Carl Vinson of
Georgia.
Smith Is condemned because
he conducted Investigations OF
racketeering by unions and
unioneers and offered legislation
10 forbid certain corrupt union
practices which are too notorius
TO need explanation here.
Hoffman saw the invasion of
Michigan by terrorists under the
auspices of the Go auto work
ers union and. in debate with
Senator La Toilette of Wiscon-
sin fought for a provision which
would have outlawed the i'm
portation OF rioters from one
state TO another, just as the inn
portation of strikebreakers is
forbidden.
Vinson reported on union in
come and some union activities
in the war program in way
which antagonized the profess
sional politicians and tax collec-
tors of this great American
subgovernment.
A spokesman for the Team
sters said the campaign proba-
bly, would be directed against
"a majority Of the Republicans
in Congress because most of
them have voted consistently
against labor"
He also said that they had
voted against Roosevelt and
against national defense, but
this only amounts 10 saying that
they are not members of the
party in power which now goes
into this campaign TO buy up
congressman in the manner of
Huey Long with Louisiana state
legislators Of whom he said he
bought and sold them like sacks
of potatoes.
OF COURSE. the Transfers
" Union does not speak for
labor or even for all its men,
bers.
Politically il has no right 10
speak at all because member
ship is 10 large extent COM
pulsory and men and women
are forced 10 pay money into
the international treasury which
is then used TO buy the election
of the members Of the legisla-
tive branch OF the government.
The phrase Ito acquaint the
public. and especially labor, with
the records of certain congress
men" has legitimate sound.
There is nothing wrong about
the publication of information.
But, OF course, the inforTna-
ton will be biased and angled,
and the effect of the campaign
will be paid political propaganda
which the New Deal party itself,
through the state and justice
departments, has officially rec
ognized as having subversive
possibilities.
THE government took steps
Il against the propaganda agen-
cies of foreign governments, now
our enemies, in frank recogni-
ton of the fact that paid propa-
ganda may be dangerous TO the
American form of government.
We have also put stop 10
"acquaint the public" with GER
tain issues and have even I'm
vestigated" some groups. But
never any unions. as punish
ment for having dared TO "ac-
quaint the public" with this or
that side of certain political
matters.
Slush funds need not be used
for the crude purpose of buying
votes on the hoof, singly or by
the herd.
Slush funds are much more
effective when spent to "acquaint
the public" and this year the