Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1948-03-19
Big Industry
BIZ M. H. Hedges. LPA CoIumnist

Make no mistake about it Americas big
gest industry in 1948 is politics. Political of
fices all over the country are burning with
activity. Much is at stake. In a sense, the
prize is the whole United States, and the
destiny of the nation for generations is in
volved.
Politics reflects current confusions. The
picture is ever changing. Republicans are
split five ways. A new candidate arises over
night. And the Democrats rest in uncertainty
threatened by current purges The left-wing
shows unexpected strength in certain sections
of the nation.
Already prospects of political sentiment,
ready to explode, begin to show themselves.
MAD VOTE: There is large mad vote in
this country. Analysts declare that the re-
cent by-electon in the Bronx was almost en-
entirely mad vote. Voters are mad about
prices, the high cost of living, lack of hous-
ing the rude manners of the Democratic adj
ministration, the black market, the hypocrisy
of the NAM, and a hundred other things
SAD VOTE: There is large sad vote in
America because thousands of Americans have
been sobered by the course of events, the in
tellectual confusion and the specious litany of
platitudeS and most of all by the threat of ex-
tinction of the entire planet by atomic war.
PEACE VOTE: Closely related to the sad
vote is the peace vote. 1t is extensive, urgent
that Henry Wallace has been the beneficiary
of widespread anti-war sentiment.
NAM VOTE: A senator who has held Of
flee for three terms declared the other day:
1T is true this Congress is owned and directed
by the National Association of Manufactur-
ers" The NAM has 500 to spend where
most groups have soc. The NAM is willy and
determined. 1t is flushed with victory. 1t has
at hand dozens of tools denied most other
dali Wi b1S
ness organizations, speakers defenders and
propagandists 1t knows what it wants, and
it intends to keep it.
FARM VOTE: The farmers are prosperous
beyond their widest dreams. The farm vote
has always been conservative. 1t will be
more conservative than ever this year
There are those who believe that labor can
wage an effective campaign march by oppos-
ing the Taft-Hartley Act. There are others
who believe that labor can not win merely on
a negative basis. Labor must do more. 1t
must build a constructive platform looking to-
ward general improvement of the economic
system, and guaranteeing full employment
That high-powered well-financed Repu-
blican political machine which so completely
dominated the first session of the Both Con-
gress is badly in need of fabrication.
First week of the special session revealed
Squeaks and friction in the party's apparatus.
Senator Aiken of Vermont, outspoken New
Englander who has often voted liberal, hit
the headlines with a demand that Brazilla
Carroll Reece get out of his job as COP Ma
tional Chairman before he knocks the party
to pieces. Reece, who sounds like a modern
transcription of 1886 Liber BY League speech,
reused Aiken's dander by describing Senator
Howard McGrath (RI, the new Democratic
party chairman, as millionaire Rhode
Island Red"
Then Senator Tobey of New Hampshire
another critic of the COP leadership said in
effect that Senator Taft "shoulda-stood in
bed" rather than make his speech damning
price controls and rationing
Senator Tobey, one of the few COP big
shots to plug for a real government housing
program said it's about time for the Republi-
can members of Congress to show they are
Americans before they are party members"
That's strong talk from the inside of a
party which hopes to capture the White House
within the next 10 months