The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1944-06-01

The political thinking of the family
i La Toilette was given a going over in
a recent issue of the New Leader.
1t was pointed out, quite accurately,
that the La Toilette family, by and
large, has thought in terms of pro-
gressive politics in domestic affairs,
while it has faced the other way in
international affairs.
When the late Robert Nj. La Toilette
burst upon the political skyline of
Wisconsin, the Badger State was
pretty much boss ridden. He brought
about a calendar full of reforms.
But when World War One came
along, Bob La Toilette stood just about
where today's isolationists stood. His
sons have inherited his political creeds
both of them.
But here is bit of history known
| by no more than a handful.
| The late Samuel Gompers greatly
admired the older La Toilette. When
| the war had ended and the debris of
much been swept up, Samuel Gompers
decided that the time had come for the
political rehabilitation of the WiscOp
sin senator.
This was especially desirable be-
cause both main political parties were
giving strong evidence of wanting plat
forms for the national campaign which
gave labor little comfort.
That is why Samuel Gompers issued
to Senator La Toilette an invitation to
be the principal guest speaker at the
forthcoming A. f. of l.. convention
held, if memory serves, in Cincinnati
Senator La Toilette delivered a fight
ing address, carefully prepared in ad-
vance. His delivery was interesting.
He read slowly the important SEN
tences, then raced almost unintellig-
ably through the surrounding build-up
and let-dOwn sentences.
Samuel Gompers had figured that if
the American Federation of Labor,
which had given it's full strength to
the war, should put the seal of ap-
proval upon Senator La Toilette by
thus giving him its platform, what
ever taint of isolationism La Toilette
might have would be washed away.
The idea was this:
The war is over now we have to
face the peace; we need every pro-
gressive force to prevent victory for
reaction"
Well, by and large the objective was
achieved-only there was too much re-
action.
The political conventions were held
Both of them wrote platforms that la
Dor rejected.
The build-up for La Toilette found
its fruit in his nomination for the
presidency on Progressive ticket and
the support of the A. F. of L. in the
ensuing campaign.
That was Samuel Gomper's last inn
portant political gesture. OF Course,
La Toilette went down to defeat. But
the grand old man had flung one last
dramatic gesture of defiance into the
teeth of labor's enemies and luke-warm
friends
SO, with another world war coming
to its amazing climax, another Senator
La Toilette, Young Bob" continues in
his fathers footsteps.
Young Bob also is an isolationiSt,
with an excellent fighting record for
things progressive in domestic politics
in Wisconsin politics.
Perhaps Wisconsin itself has some
thing to do with all of this, since Wis
consin harbors more than it's share of
today, as it did in 1917-1S.
But whatever may be the likeness in
policy in re: son to father, it is not ut
all likely that the similarity will fol-
low out to the conclusion patterned
when Samuel Gompers delivered to the
father La Toilette that famous invi-
tatiOn to come out of seclusiOn into
which his war views had forced him
md with the A. f. of l.. platform as
lis dressing room, again don the gar
nents of an approved militant in the
struggle between labor and its reac-
ionary foes. Not all of history can re-
,eat itself.-CMW.