Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1946-01-25
Political
Action
by
Clayton
Rusch
Chairman
Of the

THE PRIZE
In the Toledo Blade of
January Ia, there appeared an
editorial which should be
awarded the prize for being
the silliest, most vicious edi-
torial of the year. 1t will not
be necessary to wait until the
end of the year as it is not
very likely that this editorial
can be surpassed in this re-
gard.
The editorial is entitled
Showdown on Strikes" 1t
compliments the General Mo-
tors Corp, for their opposi-
ton to allowing anyone to
examine their books, and sug-
gests that the government has
no business recommending
any wage scales. 1t further re-
jects the philosophy of wage
rates on the ability to pay.
Should anyone be in doubt
as to the ideas which were
expressed in this editorial
they can look it up at the
library.
Carrying through to its log
ical conclusion the argument
that the government has no
business interfering in the
negotiations, it is obvious that
a good rule works both ways.
This means that the Union
would only be exercizing its
just prerogative if it spon-
sored strikes which tied up all
normal functions and made no
provision for the welfare of
the people. Certainly this sug-
gestion takes the prize for be-
ing both vicious and silly.
SECOND THOUGHT
The second thought ex-
pressed in the editorial is to
the effect that it is purely the
business of the company how
much profits they make, and
the Union has no right to ex-
pect their wages to be COM
mensurate with the profits of
the company.
Such a conception ignores
the fact that no company can
do business without the pro-
lection and cooperation of the
government which derives its
authority from the people.
1t is simple arithmetic, that
labor comprises the vast ma
jority of the population. The
government of the people is
only fulfilling its responsible
ity when it recommends set
tlement of labor disputes as
soon as possible and asks Cen
eral Motors Corp. to allow
their books to be examined.
1t is needing the needs of its
people when it contends that
the General Motors Corp. can
afford a wage increase with
out a price increase.
THE OBVIOUS
To deny that corporation
like General Motors derives
its very right to do business
from the government of the
people is to deny the obvious.
To contend that the General
Motors has a right to charge
what they please for their
products and to refuse to base
wages on the ability to pay is
equal to saying that great
corporation, owes no respon-
Sibility to the government
which makes it possible for
that corporation to exist, do
business and make profits.
Further, it is saying that great
manufacturing concerns have
no obligation to the people
who make their products or
the people who buy them.
The whole argument in the
editorial is, as | said before,
extremely silly and extremely
vicious. The General Motors
Corp. can only survive with
the aid of the government and
the corporations employees
plus its customers.
1t is high time that General
Motors show some of the spirit
of cooperation and accept its
responsibility to the govern
ment which protects its right
to exist, the employees who
make it possible for it to have
products to sell and to the
public which purchases the
products.