The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1944-08-24

III III tllCll OWh NOiiNANoA~Ae
acquaintance. Call them on the phone,
invite them to meetings, introduce them
to candidates, keep a list Of those who
attend.
9. Do whatever favors you can for
people.
Z. Make yourself heard at meetings,
especially on subjects Of policy.
8. Start discussions Of local politics
at social gatherings: Bridge parties, al
ternoon teas, stag affairs.
o. Distribute literature Of %sympathe-
tic organizations: Labor unions, PTA's,
religious and liberal groups.
10. Get control of more votes than
anyone else in the precinct-and the
jobs yours.
v-THE CAUCUS
Once you've become q precinct captain,
the next important function is to be-
come part of the caucus to select the
candidate. The caucus is the "in-group."
Nominate a friend as delegate to the
convention and have him nominate you.
Nominate your wives as alternates. II
this shocks you, remember that the
choice is between your policy and your
man, and the opposition's policy and
man.
The operation of the caucus is more
important than the primary, perhaps as
important as the election itself. h
trades which precede the nomination OF
candidates should be understood. At the
caucus the original choices are made. At
the primary our choice is reduced to
one. At the election we choose the man
on our side as against the man on the
other side.
vI-LABOR AND POLITICS
Party caucuses select men who are
known. Labor must develop men known
for their civic leadership, on school
boards, park commissions, etc. The
statesman Of tomorrow is the politician
of yesterday. The effective labor leader
ship Of tomorrow will include the whole
community. Labor alone cannot be secure
in an insecure world.
Organized labor should set up poll
teal action committees, both in local
union and congressional district, on a
permanent basis, which can find and
work with labor men active in politics,
sympathetic friends in racial and nation
ality groups, friendly newspaper editors
and writer's, liberal church and civic
leaders. Trade unions should coordinate
their political activities thru their city
and state organizations. They should
unite, not split the labor vote.
Labor's contribution to the war eff
tort-thru its reeord-breaking produc-
tion-and to the normal activities of
the communicative the strength of its
democratic organization-must be under
stood and appreciated by middle-class
America. The constant hammering of
the anti-labor press, emphasizing strikes
and reporting anti-union speeches, re-
wiling union members and labelling thei
leaders racketeers, confuses many citi
Gems. The NAM spends millions on such
propaganda, which goes to schools anc
ministers, poisoning the minds of teach
ers and children, and glibly keeping
from them the true state of affairs.
Labor is no longer u minority groap,
part Of the community. In many sections
of America, labor is the community! 1t
therefore assume political leader
ship. Members of the Clio should follow
the leadership of the CLIO Committee for
Political Action. Every union member
La..II h. ..aA -, ~. pa1tttaol
activity of his union.
All of us must register
All of US must vote.
All of us must help get out the vote.
All of us must contribute to campaign
expenses.
The non-political union is becoming
a thing of the past. Government deci-
sions constantly affect labor.
Organized labor and liberals failed in
1912 to elect the right men. They will
fail in 1914 if they don't get busy now
and see hat the labor vote is organized
and ready for the polls.
Labor's rank and file must assume
responsibility for decisions referred to
them instead of asking their officials
what are we paying you fort"
VII-FINANCES
Political organizations and their lead.
ers must be supported by the people
they serve. Too often has the income
come from special interest groups. or
ganized vice at the bottom of the social
scale and organized privilege at the top.
One hundred 81 contributions are bet
ter in a democratic set-up han one 500
gift. Small gifts from thousands of con
tributors are the next thing to active
participation by all those voters. People
are inclined to take more interest in
causes they support financially.
"He who pays the piper calls the
finn. y This l. narticnlarlN true Mhen