Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1947-06-27
The First Step


taken by Congress this week in overriding
the Presidents veto of the Tatt'Hartiey
bill, is face.to-face with the greatest crisis
il has faced in many years.
Labor is not alone in this crisis OF
which the first step was the passage OF an
unjust and indefensible law which can
have but one purpose-the destruction OF
a free labor movement.
This crisis which is still unrealized by
the American people--workers, industrial
lists and general public-will deepen as the
DAYS go by bringing to the workers the
full impact and significance of what has
occurred to them. Already, the mutterings
and restlessness of labor is beginning to
show itself in resentment which VIII
grow with each passing month.
The saying that "whom the gods would
destroy they first render blind" has It's
application in the Congress where an over
wheIming majority showed their contempt
for the American people by passing law
as basically unjust and controversial as
the VoIstead Act. 1t has its application IN
the willingness of blind Congress, led by
blind leaders who were inspired by the
fanatic and blinded leadership of the re-
dictionary National Association of Manu-
facturers.
Even as our government seeks to stay
the onward rush of Soviet Russia which 1t
condemns as totalitarian government in
tolerant of a free labor movement, the leg
isIative branch of our own government has
taken the first step to render the Amer
lean labor movement as subservient as
does the government we are seeking to
hold in check.
Even as our government gives aid to
other nations to prevent them from falling
into the hands of Communists, our Con-
gress sets up legislation which is boon to
Communism and gives comfort to another
nation which we are challenging with
"get tough" attitude.
Yet, this is a nation which counts
among its greatest historical characters
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson,
Abraham Lincoln and other great leaders
who were not afraid to fight to found and
preserve "a nation conceived in liberty
and dedicated to the principle that all men
are created free and equal"
This is America and we are Americans
with a glorious tradition constantly pro-
claiming to the world our devotion to the
ideals and principles upon which our ma
tion was founded, and which our fore
fathers, fathers, ourselves and our chill
dren have never hesitated to defend
Yes, we are Americans. We want no
ideologies either of the right or the left
which would take away from us our basic
freedoms, reduce our dignity as human
beings and make us the pawns of total
itarian form of government We believe
that the average American worker has no
desire for Communism as it now exists in
this world, or reactionary Republicanism
which is inadvertently creating the means
of aiding the growth of Communism.
We do not believe that the Taft
Hartley law can succeed because ii goes
deeper than the mere control of labor
unions. IL strikes at one of the most funde-
mental instincts of human beings-their
love of freedom.
Congress in its anxiety TO do the bid
ding of big business has failed TO take into
account the human element. 1t has failed
TO look upon the workers and the labor
unions which represent them in true per-
spective, And because of this failure, a
whole nation shall he forced to pay the
price that has ever been paid when men
have been subjected to unjust and un-
realistic laws.
This is not the first time that ill-cOn-
sidered and discriminatory laws of
serious nature have been foisted upon the
American people; nor will it be the last.
But the law has been written and does
exist and we must accept this fact as we
consider what actions shall he taken to
mitigate its worst phases and eventual
repeal.
1t is too early TO predict what will
come out of this latest act of legislative
folly of the congressional reactiOnary
BourbOns, but one thing is certain, it will
not be good. Congress has thrown this ma
ton into a crisis with the greatest poten-
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