Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1947-04-04
Behind the
Scenes In
Politics
by
Rusch
Chairman

1nere are many Current IS
sues of vital interest in a di'
rect or indirect manner, to
those who toll for living.
A few of the more important
issues are: Should the Com
munist party be outlawed in
the best interests of democ-
racy? Should the United States
extend direct financial and
other aid to Greece and Tur-
key or should it be done
through the machinery of the
United Nations?
Now that selective service
is ended for the present,
should the CIO maintain its
position of opposition to mill
tary conscription? How can
the United Nations be made to
function more effectively and
what are the chances of saw
ing the rights of labor from
destruction?
In colu mns Immediately
succeeding this one, all of
these issues shall be fully dis
cussed. Their importance to
every worker is sufficient to
warrant an adequate discus
sion of their implications in
this column. At the moment,
however, another issue must,
because of its urgency, take
precedence over all other sub
iectS related to the legislative
program of the CIO.
That issue is the necessity
for the Toledo CIO to pack
the next open meeting of the
legislators from Lucas County,
which will be held in the City
Council Chambers of the
Safety Building.
The bi-weekly legislative
conferences were established
two years ago at the request
of the Toledo CIO.PAC. The
date for the next hearing has
not been set, but it will be at
2 p. m. on a Saturday in the
City Council Chambers of the
Safety Building. The exact
date will be announced in the
next issue of this paper and
over our CIO radio program.
FEPC
The last legislative meet
ing was we'll attended. The
chief issue under considera-
ton was bill to provide for
a permanent Fair Employment
Practice Commission in Ohio.
In addition to CIO, several
fraternal, civic and church
groups sent representatives to
the meeting. 1t is very impor-
tant that the next legislative
clinic be we'll attended.
Among the issues to be con-
sidered are an improv we'd
workmen's compensation law,
an improved unemployment
compensation law, and the
whole question of saving the
hard-won rights of labor from
complete humiliation.
The legislators from Lucas
County have so far demon.
strated themselves to be more
social minded than some of
their more reactionary col
leagues. 1t must be remem-
bered, however, that all legis-
lators are politicians and
therefore, will respond to the
pressure which their constit-
uents bring to bear. In many
cases the pressure comes from
well.paid lobbyists of the big
business groups.
Such lobbyists certainly
will continue to work for pas
sage of legislation which will
benefit the interests of the
lobbyist. However, the work.
ers have more votes than all
huge corporations who pay the
the big business groups put
together. Therefore, a large
delegation of workers repre-
Sentatives is bound to have a
favorable effect upon the at
titude of the legislators.
A small attendance of work
ers at the next legislative
clinic will convince the legis-
lators that the workers are
not keeping tab on them and
are therefore not particularly
interested in legislation.
We cannot afford to give
such an impression. We must
all resolve here and now to
fill the City Council Chambers
of the Toledo Safety Building
at the next open meeting of
the Lucas County legislators.
Listen to Labor's Side of
the News over WTOL next
Saturday at 1870 p. m. and
watch this paper for the an
nouncenent of the exact date.