Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1945-01-26

An Editorial
We Trust Democracy

There people in this world who hate democracy
because they fear and distrust it,
Today, world is being fought on many fronts,
the bl0odest most destructive waged because
few men feared and hated democracy
Tomorrow, because the CIO believes in democracy
and trusts the people who must make democracy work,
election will be held for the employees of Lamson Bros
department store giving them opportunity to freely
choose between rival unions which seek to represent
them.
Tomorrow, despite the bitter and unreasonable op-
position of organization, the AFL the employees of
Lamsons will be able to express their choice in demo-
cratic manner in secret vote free from fear.
Those who opposed tOmOrrow's election, and the AFL
guilty of such opposition must have feared what the
results of the balloting would be.
Opposition the part of the AFL to free election
for Lamson employees must have been based the fear
that the employees knew the truth about the AFL they
would certainly reject it, and in the rejection cause that
union to lose both income and prestige in the fight be-
tween CIO decency and AFL corruption.
Of course the AFL opposed the election. Why wouldn't
it in the face of its Lamson record? Why Oul we
expect the AFL trust democracy when its contract
with Oscar Smiths dummy Retail Associates and its
duct of that shady business undemocratc and dis
,honest?
Why should the AFL favor democratic choice for
Lasones when it. knew that the people acquainted
with the true facts would show their disgust and dis
pleasure for alleged labor uniOn which to all inens
and purposes for the LamsoniteS but
willing tool of the bosses through the agency of the soft
spoken StOOge, Oscar Smith
had everything Iose including the confidence of Lam
employees, the AFL could not do differently than it
did, But failed and the CIO succeeded in giving the
Lamson workers the right to vote tomorrow.
Once the AFL realized could the cleo
ton it sought by false claims distortions and lies
fuse the Lamsontes and msead the very people which it
had wronged for the past several Like Herr GOeb
bells who presdes the Naz propaganda machine and
attempts to turn every defeat and retreat into strategic
moral victory, the AFL brain trust went to work to
the day.
Like thief who has stolen something of value and
seeks to immediate detection by planting the goods
in innocent persons pocket the AFL has been busy
setting forth its false claims in the hope that by setting up
smokescreen it might possibly escape the punishment it
richly deserves.
Lies ingenious ies stupid lies little lies big and
medmsized lies have been the outpouring of the AFL
since the NLRB agreed with the CO. that cleo
ton should be held for the purpose of giving LamsOn
employees opportunity to their choice of unions
Like Hitler, who wrote in his book "Men Kampf y
that the proper thing to do to make big lie and
then tell it often enough until it believed the AFL has
sought and is still seeking tell many big lies and
peating them often that it finally to h a
reached the point where it is vctimized by its
truths and has to believe its fantastic tales
themselves
Thus fear born of wrongdong has lead to false claims
and the entire unsavOry cOncOcted by the AFL
shows hatred of democracy which is not healthy, par
tculary in organization which claims to represent
those who work for living.
More could be said about the frantic efforts which
are being made by the AFL swing election and
the day for itself and the dscreded Oscar Smith and his
Retail Associates but the last word will from the
people employed at LamsOns when they vote tomorrow
We of the CIO not afraid of tOmOrrOws election.
We confident that the employees of LamsOns will rise
in their just wrath and decsvey and overwhelmingly
repudiate the AFL which has vic t i m Zed them fO
years and which to them in effect saying we
know didn't do right by you, but give another
chance Please give another chance Well do better
the next time. Honest will. Cross hearts and hope
to die
No! It's too late. The people of LamSons will give
their tomorrow. They will justify the faith and
confidence that of the CIO have in the democratic
process for they too believe democracy and want
of it, They get democracy in the CO. real represen
tation which will make substantial gains for them
scienous leadership elected by democratic organza
ton and organization which deals openly and above
board with both the employees and the management.
Tomorrow, Lamsonites will weight the AFL in the
balance and fidn it wanting Tomorrow, Lamsontes will
vote Go. for they and we believe in democracy.