The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-09-15

the Sidney lille man Of the A. r. of L. would prob- ably start Q fight, but that's the general Idea. The Ink which Hill- mna's Political Action Committee provides between the Democratic Party and the c, I. o. Is matched by rooms four-campaign position as chairman of the labor division of the Democratic National Committee TobinS work is only among the A, F. Of L, unions but he is supposed to deliver just the same.
 If anything, perhaps Tobin'S link With the White House is even closer than Hillmans, for from July to Oc- tcber ie40 Tobin served as one of those passionatoly anonymous pres. idential assistants, Ills assignment then was to secure greater cooper ation from labor for the national defense effort. When he resigned it was With the announcement that his job had been done,
 HE WANTS LABOR
 SECRETARY JOB
 It has been common knowledge that Tobin has always wanted to Do secretary of labor, In which ambi- ton he has been thwarted by the presidential preference somebody's preferenee--for Madam Perkins, Bill Green and the A. ?. of L. gem eral staff have consistently backed Dan for the cabinet job, but have made no progress whatever. That seems to be the limit of Tobin'S White House influence
 To strengthen his claim on the office, Dan has several times es- saved and been assigned the role of peacemaker, to bring the war ring A. r, of L., c. I. o. and United Mine Workers factions into one great big happy family. He has al- ways been frustrated in that, too.
 Even though he is the great ad- Vocate of peace, Tohln has not been without his fights. He voted in favor Of the suspension of John L. Lewis ana the O. I, o, unions from the A, r, of L, in 1886. In 1897 Tobin's un- ion had It's worst fight with the west coast c, 1. o. longshoremen'S organization headed by Harry Bridges, Da?e Beck of Seattle led the forces ofthe A. ?. of L. in that fight, but Tobin still sees red every time Bridges name is mentioned. Tn io40 Tobin threatened to take the teRmSters out Of the A, ?. of L., but nothing ever came of It.
 Tobin has been charged with be. ing q dictator in his own union, which holds national convention only once every five years and is governed by Tobln and his execu- tive board In between, Tohin, liking to refer to himself aS "an old.time teamster," has been president of the brotherhood since 1907. Whatever the truth about the dictatorship charge, 1t cannot be denied that the teamsters union Is prosperous, with an estimated 726,C00 members, 660,. 900 paid up. Local unions are highly autonomous and some have elabor- ate health and unemployment bene- fit insurance schemes of their own. From the one-cent-per-d day .per-man dues paid Into the international brotherhood treasury, Tohin has built up Q Si0,000,000 reserve, 30 per cent of 1t in government bonds. Dan himself is paid 2S,000 year salary. GREW UP A BOSTON
 FRESHMAN AND POLITICIAN
 Dan was born in Ireland 69 years ago He came to America at the age of IS. His first scene of operations was Cambridge, Mass, where he completed his education in night schools. He grew up with tn elabor union movement, was an intimate Of the late Samuel Gompers. Like @ good many Boston Irish, Dan took to politics naturally. He threatened to get off the Democra- tic preserve only once, in an editor- ial blast in his unions magazine in March, l943. Tobin seriously warned the Democratic Party and particularly the southern Democrats that unless they stopped crucifying the trade union movement, the party wou ldsend itselm back to where 1t was in 1921, crawling, irn- potent minority.
 Maybe that's one reason the Pres ident is pitching Tobin's teamsters little woo with this banquet speech.