Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1947-10-24
The
Scenes In
Politics
By
Clayton
Rusch
Chairman

dIG lOl COIIlIuuIllSlSs
According to a recent story
in the Toledo Times, group
of film notables announced
that organization of a Holly
wood Republican Committee
has been completed and will
spearhead a drive to put the
entire entertainment business
Solidly in the Republican col
umn in the 1948 elections.
OF course with the charges,
countercharges, denials and re-
fractions that appear in the
public press today, it is diff
ficult to distinguish between
real ard phony news.
The story quoted George
Murphy, president of the COM
mittee, as saying: "for a long
time a vociferous minority has
misled the public at large to
believe that majority of Hol-
lywood actors and actresses
are either radicals, crackopts
or at least New Deal Demo
Gratis"
"We will vigorously seek
membership in all ranks of
the entertainment field and
will present a solid front that
will prove a vital factor in re-
turning the government of our
country to competent hands"
Other members of the COM
mittee according to the news
story are: Robert Montgome-
cry, Walt Disney, Adolph
Menjou, Ginger Rogers, Bing
Crosby, Fred Astalre, Dennis
Morgan, Joel McCrea, Ran
dolph Scott, Dick Powell, Rob-
ert Taylor, Barbara Stanwyck,
Mary Pickford, Penny Single
ton, Harriet and Ozzie Mel
son, cane tie Macdonald,
Gene r ymond, Walter
Pidgeon and VIM. Bendix.
Quite an imposing array.
Names high in the theatrical
field. Due to their ability to
entertain.
Let us see how their position
on social, economic and po-
litical issues stacks up.
One could, with justice, von-
clude from the reported re-
marks of George Murphy that
the New Deal was a failure
and that any association with
1t was stigma.
AS a matter of fact, Presi-
dent Franklin Roosevelt, the
founder and leader of the New
Deal, was elected president
four times. Each time he was
vigorously opposed by a Re-
puDllCdIl CdliuludlNs
The New Deal was not per-
feet, but it did provide some
employment, some relief and
instituted a veritable volume
of much needed reforms. Mean
while, the opposition criticized,
but offered no constructive al
tentative.
AT present we have a con-
sumer's demand backlog, oc-
casioned by the war. Like the
fellow who laughs at umbrel-
las when it isn't raining, some
of us declare the New Deal
was a failure.
However, right now the diff
ferece between wages and
prices is assuring the emer-
gence of depression times.
When the depression arrives,
we will find that abuse, ridicule
or restrictive legislation can
not stop those who would de-
stroy our democratic form of
government.
There is only one way to re-
tain and protect our democratic
form of government. That is
to promote an industrial de-
mocracy which can assure the
right to a job at living wages,
with civil liberties, social Sc
curity safeguards and recrea-
national and educational facili-
ties for all.
The communists and their
fellow travellers would like to
destroy our democratic form
of government. Their strongest
allies, intentional or otherwise
are the reactionary elements
such as Robert Taft who sup
ports positions which foster
social conditions upon which
the commleS thrive and null
tiply.
There are two ways anyone
can go about to destroy our
form of government. One way
is to join or support the Com.
munist party or their front or
ganizations. The other is to
support reactionary people for
public office who promote So
cial conditions favorable to the
spread and growth of COM
If we intend to save our
democratic political system,
we must see that democracy
applies to the economic sphere
also.
This means we must elect
to public office who
ropracot,t the tV,fayoeke nf &Ian