Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1946-10-18
Behind the
Scenes In
Politics
BY
Clayton
Rusch
Chairman

Political Action Committee
This column has discussed
many times, the program Of
the CIO-PAC. 1t has been
pointed out that the working
people comprise the majority
of the population. We have
seen that if the working peo-
pie will go to the polls and
vote, they can elect public Of
ficials who will enact and ad-
minister social legislation
which will assure, full en-
ployment, adequate social
security measures, and pro-
lection of civil liberties for
all.
1t is, of course, incumbent
upon the CIO-PAC to scruti-
nize the record and ability of
candidates for public office
and endorse those who de-
serve our support. On Mon
day the 14th of October the
County Central Committee of
PAC endorsed Frank Mohn,
of Spicer Unit of Local IL for
State Senator, Jack Thomp-
son and Mike Damas, both of
Auto-Lite Unit for State Rep
resentatives and Edw. Lynch
for Judge of the Court of APP
peals.
The record of the Ohio
Legislature has been very bad
on the subject of social legis-
lation that would advance the
welfare of the people. No
amount of lobbying and letter
writing on social legislation
can be expected to have
much effect on legislators
who draw their support from
the employer groups and not
from the workers. If labor's
own candidates are defeated,
we can expect and most GER
tainly will receive cold re-
sponses from the legislators,
who are elected to office by
our enemies.
THE ISSUES
In the months to come,
workmen's compensation, un-
employment compensation, aid
to pensioners, public works
and adequate housing will be
issues before the Ohio Legis-
lature. In addition there will
be many bills proposed for
passage which will be design
ed to take away the hard won
rights of organized labor.
The reception these bills
receive in the legislature will
depend entirely on what type
of legislators comprise the
general assembly. The resi-
dents of Lucas County will
soon have an opportunity to
decide who some of these
legislators shall be. In a short
time we will need the support
of the legislators from Lucas
County on behalf of social
legislation to advance our
welfare.
Just now three CIO members
Frank Mohn, Jack Thomp-
son and Mike Damas need our
support. Unless they receive
it, they will not have an op-
portunity to support laws we
want passed later. 1t is up to
each and all of us to do a
little electioneering on behalf
of labor's candidates in this
election. We should be able
to be effective, because we
are supporting men whose
abilities and sympathies are
we'll known to us from first
hand experience.
There are many politicians
who contend that it is politi-
cally safe to push labor
around, because the working
people are on the average
poll shy and just don't vote.
There is good ground for this
contention. For labor has
often been bombarded with
passage and attempted pas
sage of restrictive legislation,
as a result of the failure of
the working people to vote.
The majority of the eligible
voters in Lucas County are
to vote. If the ma
jority of the workers get out
and vote, we can elect labor's
candidates by a landslide.
If we fail to elect labor'S
in this election,
we shall pay a severe price
for our failure for long time
10 come.