Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1944-01-28

prop erty of Fountain
millions of other Americans who,
like myself, have in the past 10
years come to believe that social
security, unemployment compen-
sation, public housing, etc., be-
long to the people.
Some of us, it is true, have
disagreed with certain features
of the New Deal. But, in the
larger sense of political loyalty,
the essential devotion of the New
Deal to the human rights of COM
mon Americans has caused mil
lions to feel that they are a part
of it, and that they should have
some small say in its destiny.
BELONGS TO PEOPLE
For every politician who may
indulge the notion that the New
Deal belongs exclusively to of
fice-holders, there are thousands
of citizens who believe that the
New Deal is theirs.
A system of social reform is
not coat that you don in fair
weather and doff when it's
stormy.
To millions of folks in this
country the New Deal is a mat
ter of cash in the pocket and
bread on the table. To millions
of others it stands for health,
sunshine and happy kids filling
homes with laughter and songs.
And to the millions of serious
minded folks who never hope to
be rich or powerful, and never
hope to startle the world with
Their talents, but who realize
that a few more New Deals in
the world might have averted
the war, the New Deal appears
as the very goal for which our
boys are giving their lives on
the battlefields.
A GREAT MAN
The President is without
doubt great man. But great
men are no more infallible than
humble ones. Great men can
make mistakes, too.
The democratic system of gov
ernment we enjoy here in Ameri-
ca was created to protect the
people from the mistakes of po-
litical leaders. The patriots of
our revolution gave their blood
to set up for US the mechanics
of free government which make
it possible for us to toss public
officials out OH their ears if we
deem them unfit for office.
think the President has made
two basic mistakes during the
course of his career as our chief
executive.
First, he has failed-and for
what reason ! do not know-to
build the Democratic Party into
a strong grass-roots movement
controlled by the common people
and dedicated firmly to their in
terests.
APPEASEMENT POLICY
Second, upon finding himself
and his policies under attack by
a revived force of reactionary
plutocrats, and lacking a dynam-
ic peoples political movement to
fight back with, he has appeased
the agents of wealth and privi-
lege until they are crowding his
friends off his coat-tail.
These are, of course, merely
the views of two-bit labor
journalist. / may be wrong; and,
if events prove that my thinking
is erroneous, / will gladly eat
these words.
But / have had my ear to the
ground these many months, and
the muttering of the people has
grown steadily louder. They have
steadfastly asked one question:
When is Mr.. Big gonna take
after the profiteers and the la
bor-haters and the windy poll
ticians who ar playing hell, all
over the country, with the peo-
pies rights?
Double-talk, such as discarding
the New Deal slogans and tack
ing labor draft unto an other
wise progressive message to
Congress-will not answer this
question satisfactorily.
The people to whom the New
Deal belongs want to see its
leader fight for the little folks
and to hell with where the chips
fall!
,x,kA zaV. Sna~a sRonfNnaV1f ~ 4