Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1947-07-25
By
Clayton
Rusch
Chairman


spending money to promote
the election or insure the de-
feat of candidates for public
off C e. Proponents of the
law also believe that newspa-
pers supported by union funds
cannot legally support or op-
pose candidates for public Of
flee.
Supporters of the law con-
tend that it is illegal for
unions or PAC committees
supported by union funds to
issue leaflets urging the de-
feat or election of candidates
for public office.
We of labor believe we have
a constitutional right to issue
leaflets in support of or in op-
position to the election of
candidates for public office.
We also believe that newspa-
pers supported by union funds
have a constitutional right to
support or oppose candidates
for public office.
We believe this right is
guaranteed us in the first
amendment to the United
States Constitution.
The first amendment says
Congress shall make no
law respecting the establish
ment of religion, or prohibit
ing the free exercise thereof;
or abridging the freedom of
speech, or of the press; or the
right of the people peaceably
to assemble, and to petition
the Government for a redress
of grievances"
SOLID GROUND
We of labor believe we are
standing upon very solid
ground in our contention that
a law designed to prevent
unions from issuing leaflets in
support or opposition to cam
didates for public office, GER
tainly constitutes an attempt
to abridge the freedom of the
press and is therefore uncon-
stitutional.
Newspapers supported by
employers have shown no
intention of complying with
any abridgement of the free
dom of the press. We of la
Dor do not intend to surrender
our constitutional rights,
merely because some big busi-
ness stooges in Congress have
passed some anti-labor legis-
lation.
In the last issue of the CIO
News, CIO President, Phillip
Murray demonstrated the po-
sition of CIO on this matter
by expressing the political
views of the National CIO in
the official newspaper of the
National CIO.
UAW President Walter
Reuther did likewise in the
last edition of the Auto Work
ers, official publication of the
UAW.
The TOLEDO UNION
JOURNAL is the official pub
lication of the Toledo CIO and
we too, wish to demonstrate
that we are not going to sur
render our constitutional
rights.
Let us then look at the rec
ord and express our opinion
of some of the holders of pub
lie office from this baliWick.
RECORDS
Senators Robert Taft and
John Bricker have made lit
tie or no attempt to hide
their sympathies for the
monopolists and their anti-la-
Dor sentiments. The same goes
for the erratic Congressman
Homer Ramey. These men
we'll deserve being retired to
private life. 1t shall be the OBJ
jective of the CIO.PAC to do
all in it's power to defeat
them for reelection.
VIM. f. Fleckner, a repre-
sentative from Ottawa County
in the Ohio General Assembly
is another enemy of labor and
the plain people. He too
SHOULD be retired TO private
life.
On the other side Of the
ledger, City Councilman Tom
Burke stands out like a sore
thumb. He is. and always has
been in the forefront of the
fight to secure better condi-
tions for the workers and
plain people. He deserves to
be reelected to City Council.
From time to time this
column will express itself re-
garding the merits and quail
fication of candidates for pub
lie office.
We of Toledo labor, and its
Political Action Committee
however, do not want to give
the impression we are ignor-
ing the Taft.Hartley ! a w.
Far from 1t. We are keep
ing the score on who voted
for 1t and who opposed it. We
definitely intend IN SEQ that