Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1946-04-12
LETTERS
Disagrees With Editorial
On Thomas. Reuther Fight


On ThOmas-Reuther Fight |
Editor: In your issue Of April
9Th, there Is an editorial entitled
THE X. J. THOMAS DEFEAT.
Allow me 10 take extrem e
exception to that editorial.
In IL you assert that Thomas OPP
pOnent (Reuther) had the support |
Of the Ku Klux Khan, the COughlin-
ties, the followers Of Gerald l.. X.
Smith, and other such elements who !
have no legitimate roles in the trade
unions Of today" This assertion
IL so indefensible and so patiently
erroneous that ! am compelled TO
question your sources Of infOrma
ton.
II your information about fascist
groups and followers supporting
Reuther, comes from the same daily
press that misinforms US about Ne
Rroes and always takes a position
against militancy in the labor
movement, then your information
Is tainted ut its very source.
Walter Reuther was victorious
because his program was one OF
vigorous struggle against the cor
porations. Under the slogans Of
"OPEN THE BOOKS" and WAGE
INCREASES WITHOUT PRICE
INCREASES" he led the auto
workers, Negro and white, in one
Of the longest, most bitter strikes
In union history, and won great
.......l,n. Frnua tho anita baFnpa
In winning, both Negro and white
benefited in equal measure.
There Is an explanation ms TO
the close margin by which Reuther
won the presidency. II lies not in
your mistaken notion Of fascist
support, a notion which falls apart
on mere examination. In my opin-
ion, il lies rather In the fact that
although Reuther's program touch
ed upon genuine needs and de-
mnnds Of the auto workers them
selves. II did not go far enough,
and on numerous occasions coin
cided with the Thomas program.
or to put II more precisely, lack OF
program. The emphasis in the
Reuther victory should not rest on
the narrow margin by which the
presidency was won, but on the
fact that a majority Of delegates
voted for Rcuther and not for
Thomas. This should indicate IA
healthy ferment in the JAW, a
ferment Of dissatisfaction with
half way measures and a desire
for more decisive leadership on the
part of the auto workers.
must point out that no out
standing union leader in the nation
IL supported by fascist groupings.
Such "A leader, II he existed, could
not long maintain his position in
n flRhtinR union like GIN, much
less he elected to the highest office
Of the JAW. A case in point Is
Homer Martin. former president
Of the union, who was removed from
office in 1898 and expelled after
becoming implicated In suspicious
deals with the Ford Motor Com
pany.
Since you, as editor Of u pro-
gressive newspaper, have made the
accusation that Reuther received
decisive voting support from the
"Ku Klux Khan. the Coughlinites.
the followers Of Gerald l.. X. Smith,
and other such elements who have
no legitimate roles in the trade
unions Of today" you owe 1t to
your reading public, to the Negro
community, and To the safety Of
the labor movement to reveal the
evidence of such information.
Yours very sincerely,
Irving Blumberg
1924 Russell Ave. N.
Minneapolis. MINI.
| Edilur's Note Giant, sprawliRg JAW
| contains almost every theological Eroup
| that mako Wy tho AmertcaR scrne. No
| stigma can hr attached Ia the JAW hs-
| cause uf this condition, II h purely the Pc
| suit ~ the uANa natural d"sirr fnr ln0',
| msmhrruhip In the auto industry THIS In
| dunlFY Ia lnrhtrsl mainly In Michigan and
7 Ohio, where the Khan. C"uEhltnit"a, and
| GCrah l.. X smith fulluWprs are numerous
| Smith from many platforms has bnaat"'i
| that hla Fnlluwrra Joined the uni0n with the
| intsntinn 1T dividing Il In the trouble nVrT
| NpNruss moving into the 81 iourner Truth
| pToisC two uutnn tsAd"r~ Who were ANow
| eily followers " smith led = hght To rrN~
| vent Negroes from moving into the prnler,
| They were suspended nv the JAW tr"U
| their offices hat until recently they were
| stiii nsmhsrs ~ the untuH NumFr Martin
| Whnn Reader hlumbeFE mentions. had ties
with Father IouEhlin which we're cNpos"d
| There was an element IN the uni0n Which
| supuaFtrsl Martin Ia the last IN this aruur
were many open avowrd C"uShlirHr-. Son'
| are uull rnrmhprs ~ the union The hts
| Packard heal had members wh" were prov
| on T." ~ members ~ the Khan. Those VII,
| had office In tho iusai wrrv removed truH
| nHirr hot they still arr In the union
ThomRs a. president - the JAW lr,
| many Hrht, Avuins Z thssD grNups. II Ia quits
| prohahie that their support ~ ReutheT Wa
| haasSl MT IN any itking for him but FathS'
| ~ their hatr,SI ~ rhnmAs II was nsvr'
| said that th~sr fa.cist ErutlrtUES supprrt~
| Rruthrr rNerlt In that h. was pr,frrahls