Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1946-05-03
Political
Action
by
Clayton
Rusch
Chairman
of the
Political Action Committee

4
In a very few days, on the
7th of May to be exact, the
people running for the State
and National Legislature will
be nominated. Labor has an
immense stake in this pri-
mary election. There can be
no question that the vast ma
jority of the people have to
work in order to live. Organ
lied labor directly or indirect
ly represents the interests OF
those who work for a living.
The interests of those who
labor cannot be fully pro-
tected through economic or
ganizations alone. Good con-
tracts cannot assure that there
will be jobs at decent wages
for all those who need en-
ployment. Good contracts can
not guarantee adequate social
security safeguards or protec-
ton of civil rights. To secure
these things we must have So
cial legislation.
To get social legislation en-
acted into law, we must elect
people to public office who are
convinced of the worth of the
legislative program of the
CIO. The CIO has a legisla-
tive program which answers
the needs of the people.
NEED INTEREST
This program cannot and
will not ever be enacted into
law unless those who work for
a living show enough interest
in their government to go to
the polls and vote.
We have just engaged in a
struggle for wage increases to
bring wages in line with the
cost of living. The wage in
creases will be nullified unless
price control is maintained.
Very recently the U. S.
House Representatives emas-
culated price control. The only
hope of saving price control is
an avalanche of mail to the
u. S. Senators.
Letters should be written on
this to Senators Robert Taft
and James Hoffman, Washing
ton, d. c.
Even more important than
writing to the legislators is to
elect legislators who will sup
port laws in the interests of
the plain people and will op-
pose laws which tend to harm
their welfare.
We will not have an oppor-
tunity to vote for progressive
candidates this fall unless we
nominate them in the pri-
maries.
The public press is predict
ing a very small vote in this
primary election. If these pre-
dictions are true our chances
of electing liberals this fall are
just about nil.
1t seems only reasonable to
assume that the gains we have
already won in the last 13
years are we'll worth saving. 1t
seems evident that we still
need social legislation to as
sure full employment, ade-
quate social security and pro-
lection of civil rights. 1t ap-
pears plain that we need or
ganization for world peace.
The means of saving our
gains plus the means of going
forward to a better life is
within our grasp.
If some tyrannical power
were enslaving the American
people | am sure no sacrifice
would be too high TO great to
restore freedom.
THE PRICE
If going to the polls and vot-
ing is too high a price to pay
for good government, there
will be no ceiling on the price
of our political indifference.
That price will be re-
presSive anti-labor laws, un-
high living cost,
social insecurity and the
breakdown of world peace or
ganization.
Our legislative program to
assure a better life can only
become a reality if the plain
people of America go to the
polls and vote.
In order to be able to vote
for liberal candidates this fall
we must nominate them in the
approaching primary.
1t is the duty and the obliga-
ton Of all of us to exercise our
right to vote.
The American people have
never hesitated to fight for a
better world. Let us now
show an inclination to do that
which seems much easier.
Let us be willing to assure
better world by resolving to
get out and vote for progress
sive candidates.
If we lived under a dictator
ship we could probably say
hat we were not responsible
Tor bad social conditions.