Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1944-12-15


the Illustration of the incom-
petent and unqualified as
pirants for leadership such as
those in the second point above,
works 10 the detriment Of the
organization. Ordinarily, the
hatchet, enmity and other base
feelings burn themselves out in
their own intense white heat. If
the organization is basically
sound and its principles worthy,
it can withstand the heat, in fact,
in most cases, it merges stronger
and with a finer temper than
before.
THE HATERS
When those whose only stock
in trade is their venom put their
vicious ideas into writing, they
do so with the knowledge that
it is easy to bring others to hate.
The one thing they overlook, is
that hate is an emotion which
cannot be long sustained, parti-
cularly when 1t is based upon
falsehoods.
AS an illustration of the fore
going, the last two or three
issues of the Spicer News show
the points mentioned above.
want to say that have given
much thought to the decision to
write this article, because I real
ize that something like this
always fans the flame that would
otherwise burn itself out. How
ever, there were so many mis-
statements, inaccuracies and par
tial quotations that those who
read the paper are entitled to
know the other side.
There is an old saying, "con-
sistency, thou art a jewel" Rare
gems of inconsistency were re-
vealed in the lead stories of two
very recent editions Of the Spicer
News.
IlC IlisA was NNl AOlllBll~
mentary TO the Spicer Bargain
ing Committee for the way the
non-bonus workers wage issue
was handled before the War
Labor Board. That was perfectly
correct. But between that issue
and the next, the WLB panel
made its report. Then appeared
another story which In part
said, This then Is the outcome
of the wild promises made to the
non-production workers by GER
tain union politicians just prior
TO the last UAW-CIO convention
election. Some workers will re-
member the phrase, THE WLB
Is looking for cases like this!"
Now what the writer of that
story attempted to show was
that certain union politicians"
meaning myself, because he
quoted me in part, sold the non
productive stewards the idea that
the WLB was ranging up and
down the land, hunting for these
kind of cases. Since the Spicer
News writer was not in that par
ticular stewards meeting, j will !
attempt TO recall the full state
ment.
Any of the stewards who were
there can tell him whether this |
is correct or not. l said that there |
was much unrest among nom
incentive workers in incentive |
shops; that it was a national |
problem because of the wide diff
fc- entail created; that the WLB
recognized this unrest because IL
was so obvious; that the WLB
was expecting and had been get
ting such cases as this, and that
the WLB had instituted five con-
ditions by which rare" and un-
usual cases could be decided.
NO PROMISES MADE
No promises were made except
that of putting up a fight to get
what was justly due these work
ers. 1t Is interesting to note that
the Panel did agree with the con
tentions of the Union which were
so ably prepared and presented
by the Bargaining Committee.
In the last issue there was a
supposed news story on the re-
cent MESA strike and the taking
over Of eight Toledo plants by
the army This story had, as its
central villain, not the leadership
of the MESA, but the regional
director of the UAW-CIO. The
MESA strike was not portrayed
for what it really was, but as a
great and honorable crusade {
against the companies. In truth, 4
1t was not strike, but a war in
which m b itious, hungry, {
would-be leadership attempted
TO gain control Of the labor [
movement. For the record and
In the interest Of factual news re-
porting, let me say the following:
l. No one in the UAW- -CIO, II
either was desirous Of or
"condoned" the Army tax
ing over.
2. When the Army takes over. h
1t does so without asking
anyone whether they con
done" the action or not.
3. There was no strike break
ing simply because the
UAW-CIO refused to turn
the other cheek and say
"Ah."
T. The MESA did not get the