Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1947-11-07
By
Clayton
Rusch
Chairman

ly heavy. This was the more
surprising in view of the fact
h at the last councilmanic
election was about as dead as
a political campaign as I have
ever known or heard of.
The lack of interest on the
part of the voters in city coun-
Gil elections and the lack of
enthusiasm from the candi-
dates is of course explained
by the general apathy en-
gendered by the PR System
of electing councilmen.
Despite their indifference
toward the council race, the
people turned out to vote in
surprisingly large numbers for
an off election year.
This is definitely encourag-
ing because it shows that the
man in the street does have
some idea of what the big bust
ness S oges who dominate
the present legislative bodies
are trying to do to him.
Last year saw the passage
of vicious anti-labor legisla-
ton and the repeal of much
social legislation while very
little, if any legislation in the
interests of the general public
was even introduced. The
amount of progressive legisla-
ton passed last year was cer-
tainly small, even if we in
clude the records of all the
State Legislatures.
There was a no t the r en-
couraging aspect of Tuesdays
election. The school levy, the
bonus bill and the old age
home levy were all approved.
Without going into the ques-
ton of why wasn't the method
proposed to raise the bonus a
fairer one, we must recognize
that it was in the best interests
of groups who need assistance
from taxes that these leVies
passed.
All of the levies serve the
welfare of the public at-large
as we'll as the interests of the
people who are aided more
directly.
The attitude of Toledo voters
on the question of raising
funds through taxation for
worthwhile causes has GER
tainly changed for the better.
To the labor backed candi-
dates who won in Tuesdays
election, this column extends
congratulations. To those who
lost, we wish to point out that
the loss of a battle is not the
loss of a war and there will be
more opportunities in the
future.
OUR JOB
Meanwhile we all have a
terrific job staring us in the
face for 1948.
Within the year we must
ele CT a president, a Con-
gress and State Legislature.
We must retire the stooges of
big business from public Of
flee. We must elect people to
public office who actually rep
resent the interests of the
majority of the public.
To succeed in this will re-
quire an efficient and effective
organization.
1t will be necessary that the
political organization that at
tempts such a task shall en-
brace the entire labor move
ment within its ranks. We
must also have the support of
all Il b eral and progressive
civic groups.
We must develop a ward,
township and precinct organi-
cation which can actually get
out the liberal vote on cleo
tion day.
We must have a program
that not only represents the
interests of most of the popula-
ton, but is also understood by
the majority of the people.
We must have a registration
drive that will assure that all
our people register to vote.
In 1948 we must save our
remaining gains and advance
toward the achievement of a
decent society through poll
tical action or resign ourselves
to the loss of everything we
hold dear.
The time to get on the ball
for '48 is not next fall or next
summer, or even next spring.
The time to start building a
bigger and better political
Action Committee for 1948 is
now, today.