Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1947-07-04
Behind the
Scenes In
Politics
By
Clayton
Rusch
Chairman

Last Sunday well-attended
demonstration Of Ohio work.
ers was held on the grounds
of Central High School, Co.
lumbus. VILLA m Lavelle,
Ohio CIO secretary-treasurer;
Jake Clsymsn, PAC attorney;
Jack Kroll, national PAC di-
rector, and other speakers
pointed out to those assembled
the absolute necessity of a
victory at the polls for labor
In AZ and '48.
Normally it would be quite
easy to attend such meeting
without being over-enthused
about our future prospects.
The record shows that labor
has failed to get out the vote
in the past, and this is the rea-
son we are now confronted
with anti-labor legislation.
We recognize that labor has
all the essentials to assure the
defeat at the polls of labor's
enemies. We also had the
means TO assure defeat at the
polls for our enemies for the
last few years but failed to
make effective use of them.
At this last rally in Column
bus, however, a new element
had entered the picture. Some
thing new had been added and
everyone there felt 1t.
AROUSED
The workers assembled In
Columbus last Sunday repre-
sented an aroused union mem
bership that at long last had
become sufficiently concerned
to resolve TO take effective
steps to restore democracy in
America.
One particular incident H.
lustrates the new spirit and
determination of the workers
regarding political action. The
Spicer OF Local IL chartered
three buses and sent a good
sized delegation in them to
the Columbus rally.
We Of labor DO have what
1t takes TO turn the tide. The
action Of Frank Rostetter, Spi-
Ger Unit chairman, and the
whole Spicer Unit proves be-
yond a doubt that the enthu-
Siasm and spirit needed to do
the job will not be lacking.
We of labor have a date In
'46 with the few liberals who
voted our way and with the
reactionaries w no vote d
against labor and the public
interests. We must restore our
democratic rights. We must
promote the passage of social
legislation. This is our big
task and we must not fail.
After witnessing the contri-
button of the Spicer Unit and
observing that its delegation
made up more than half the
Toledo crowd | am more than
convinced that labor will keep
its date in '48,
ABOUT PAC
This would be as good a
time as any 10 clear up an inn
portant point. The Taft Hart
ley bill will not put the PAC
out OF business. The reasons
it will not accomplish this pur-
pose isn't because it doesn't
aim in that direction, but be-
cause 1t cannot win this point.
The Constitution of the United
States suspends any law which
violates its meaning, and the
Hartley law is clearly un-
constitutional in this respect,
as well as several others.
The Constitutions First
Amendment provi des that
Congress "shall make no law
abridging the right to free
speech, free press or the right
of assembly"
AS long as the National AS
sociation OF Manufacturers,
u. S. Chamber of Commerce
and similar organizations are
in politics, and who believe
that they are not, labor doesn't
intend to give up its rights,
but will exercise its full con-
stitutional prerogatives.
The time for the showdown
Is here and now. The time for
the workers of the nation to
stand still and fight is now.
And the organization to lead
this fight is the PAC. You can
show your confidence and in
dicate your willingness to get
into the struggle for yourself
and for your union by joining
PAC. DO 1T NOW.
AS a service to union mem
bers and the public who wish
to send their children to the
Local II Summer Camp, the