Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1944-11-03

dILGIUDIS W VIII LIlG IlGpuOll1e1ii
presidential and -presiden-
tial nominations, has mustered
his score of newspapers, his per-
sonal influence and his big bank
roll behind Tom Dewey.
The Gannett-Dewey marriage
is merely another link in that
strong chain of "bitter enders"
hanging around Tom Dewey's
neck. Proof positive that the
Republican candidate has been
captured by the nationalistS, the
big business boys, arch foes of
labor, who see in him the "shin-
ing knight" who will capture
for them the citadel of demo
cracy, which they have so often
attempted to storm.
Gannet's Quest
Gannett's quest for national
office began in 1886 when, back
ed by top reactionary farm
leaders, he persuaded Idaho's
Sen. Borah to seek the presiden-
tial nomination with Gannett as
his running mate. His plans
went awry, however, when the
Hoover crowd gave Kansas ALI
Landon the nod.
But Gannett had new ideas.
Defeated by his own political
naivete, he set about to enhance
his prestige by organizing the
National Committee to Uphold
Constitutional Government, a
creamy name for big-business
lobby, dedicated to repeating
social reforms. The American
Liberty League, forerunner OF
all the industrialist's anti-Roose-
.yelt groups, had retired follow
FDR's landslide in 1886, so
anett's bunch came forward
othe most active of the New
Deal snipers. This wasn't one
man Job. Among Gannett's aides
were DR.. Edward A, Rumely,
convicted as German agent in
World War I, and Robert M.
Harris. cotton broker, whose
avocation was leading the hate
Roosevelt chorus set up by the
farm bloc and Father Coughlln.
Rumely's most recent es-
capade, as secretary of Gannetts
new Committee for Constitu-
tional Government, in refusing
TO give a House committee rec
prds of contributors to its pol
itical activities ended in his be-
ing indicted for contempt by
Federal Grand Jury.
Flushed With Success
Flushed with success after the
Supreme Court and Executive
Reorganization Bills were kill
ed, Gannett again tossed his nat
into the ring. Flanked by his
political manager, Akron's may
or. c. Nelson Sparks, who guar
ranteed 800 votes on the first
ballot, he stormed the 1910 con-
vention primed to capture the
nomination. He garnered less
than so votes on the first ballot
and as the Willkie stampede de-
veloped the Gannett boom was
lost in the shuttle.
But he wouldn't be counted
out. In 1912 he sought the chair
manship of the Republican Ma
tional Committee but received
only two votes out of more than
100 cast. He was awarded the !
publicity chairmanship for the
Congressional Campaign, and to
please another Dewey follower,
millionaire oil magnate Joseph
Pew, Gannett named Wheeler
Mcmillan, editor of PeW's
Farm Journal" one of his as
sistants.
This is only a surface picture
of Gannett. A real analysis can
be cleaned only by checking the
company he keeps, the men who
Join him in his crusade to pre-
serve "free enterprise"
List Is Imposing
The list is imposing. Heading
the present Gannett Committee
is Rev. Norman Vincent Peale,
a member of Spiritual Mobil-
ization," anti-Roosevelt church
group whose literature asSails
the four freedoms as ''preposter-
ous." Vice-chairman Louis j.
Taber resigned as head of the
National Grange when pressed
to relinquish his post as MEM
Der of America First, top isola-
zionist organization before war
came.
Two directors of Merwin K.
Hart's National Economic Coun-
Gil, Robert B. Dresser, National
Association of Manufacturers
big-shot and Charles A. Taylor;
member of the N. j. Republican
Finance Committee, also help
direct the Gannett enterprise.
Hart, labor remembers, is one
of big business pets and was
stout defender of Gen. Franco,
Spain's fascist dictator.
But Gannett's underlings-all
vociferous in their demand for
a Dewey triumph-had more
direct links with paddlers of ;
race hatred and insolationism.
Maj. John L. Griffith was
nernor of the Paul Revere
rnLIo1o