Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1946-02-22
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ed conflicted with the selfish
interests of those who had
Him put to death. They were
even able to buy His betrayal
by one of His followers for
thirty paltry silver coins.
CONSTANT STRUGGLE
History is full of incidents
of this constant struggle to
keep knowledge and truth
from people. Back of every
one of these incidents we see
the ab ject, unreasonlng,
craven, and cowardly fear
that truth and knowledge will
block selfish purposes.
In Ireland, in the days OF
the infamous penal laws, peo-
pie were executed or trans
ported to penal colonies for
such heinous crimes as speak
ing their own language, teach
ing children to read and write,
spreading news, and wearing
their own country's color.
Even in this great country
of ours whose very foundation
is built on self evident
truths, people attempt to
keep truth and knowledge
from the public, becloud is
sues, and, at times, because
they control the major ave-
nues of public information to
make situations grow where
no such situations exist.
We see evidences of this in
the handling of current strike
news by our public press and
radio. The main drive of these
great instruments of public
knowledge at the beginning OF
the GIN strike was to instill
in the collective mind of the
public the idea that the strik-
ers were selfish, unprincipled
brigands attempting to wiring
from the American public
more than they were entitled
to.
IDEAS EXPLODED
AS time went on these ideas
were exploded, because even a
heavy blanket of adverse pub
licity and expenditure of mil
lions couldn't prevent the
real truth from gradually
Seeping out to the public in a
democracy. If you want proof,
go to the public library and
read the papers of last No
vember and those of today.
The change has been subtle
and they haven't given up the
attempt to discredit the Amer
lean worker and his Union,
but they have been forced by
the weight of public opinion
to change their tone. These
papers are published by men
who like to stand in front of
their mirrors, thump their
chests, and exlaim, I'VE are
the moulders of public opin-
ion."
1t is a sad thing that even
in Unions attempts are some
times made to keep truth and
knowledge from the people.
Unions are made up of hui
mans and are therefore sub
ject to the frailties of human
ity.
Unions can be and are
powerful influences, so it is
inevitable that there will be
Vieing for control. This is
right and proper so long as
the opposing sides present
their points of view in a free
and open manner.
When any attempt is made
to prevent people from hear
ing all the issues or from
meeting and listening to the
opposite side, there can be
only one conclusion drawn,
that the opposite view must
be the right one and that
craven fear motivates the pre-
vention Of imparting knowl-
edge to the people.
| have heard that a group
IN one of our shops passed a
false notice announcing the
cancellation of the meeting al
which Walter Reuther appear
ed and very lucidly and to the
point informed the people OF
the issues of the day. | am
sorry that such a thing oc-
Cured. 1t is my sincere hope
that its motive was only fear