The union times., 1948-02-07
State Labor Forms A Political League
Cities To Set Up Local Committees Raise Funds To Pay For Radio, Ads, And Literature
 Cleary Named Chairman

With assurances by President Timothy M. Collins and Secretary Treasurer Joseph M. Rourke that the Connecticut Federation of La bOr would be 100 per cent behind their efforts, A. F. of L. leaders from various sections of the State met last week at the Hotel Carde, New Haven, to set up the Connecti- cut Federation of Labor's political arm for the coming election.
 Adopting the name Connecticut La bor's League for Political Education, the group elected Joseph P. Cleary, former head of the Connecticut Fed eration of Labor's Non Partisan Pol itical Committee, as chairman, and J. Lawrence O'Toole, assistant secretary of the C.F. of L., as secretary-trea- surer of the LIFE.
 Among action taken was l call ing upon unions in local areas to set up local Leagues for Political Education, p to write the presi- dents of A. F. of L. national and international unions urging all To- cal unions in Connecticut to CO., operate with the State L.P.E., and 3 to arrange meetings of all off, cers of unions in the various dis tricts at which the Leagues pro- gram would be outlined and the activities expected of A. F. of l.. unions locally would be explained.
 Chairman Cleary was empowered to appoint an executive committee of five to plan for memberships in the League and for raising of funds to pay for radio time, newspaper advertising, rem tai of halls and literature. The execu- tive committee was also authorized to make alliances with friendly non Communist groups such as the ADA and the AVG to further the program of the League for Political Education.
 The League voted unanimously to reiterate the stand taken at the Con- necticut Federation of Labor conven- tion in Stamford against third party. Chairman Cleary called Wallace's en- try in the Presidential race "a trag- edy." He declared that Wallace was led on by elements who were not thinking of the people of the US. nor of the working people. Because of this menace" he said, I've have to work doubly hard to defeat our enemies"
 Cleary decried the possibility of in- dependent candidates running for Con- gresS in Connecticut in view of the close contests which have occurred in most of the Congressional districts in the past.
 The chairman of the State League emphasized the importance of politi- cal activity on the part of the AZ. of L. unions at this time, asserting that such activity is as important as the negotiating of contracts.
 ENSLAVEMENT
 If the Taft Hartley law is not re- pealed," he said, Tabor will be en- slaved." To those who say that this law has not proven to be slavery for labor, Cleary answered that labor's enemies were only waiting for the election to pass and for employment conditions to become adverse to launch efforts to destroy the labor movement
 Congressman from Connecticut, he said, in the Both Congress have not voted for single thing for the bene- fit of the workers. He suggested as a slogan We must defeat our enemies in 1948."
 The Connecticut Labor's League for Political Education includes all officers of the Connecticut Fedora. tion of Labor as we'll as the follow. ing: Dennis M. Carroll. Danbury Floyd Taylor, Norwalk; Stephen H, COlOsi, Sr., Stamford; Rowland Bishop, Croton; Newell S. Ames. New Britain; R. K. Lewis, Hart. ford; John Pisano, New Haven Harold Feinmark, New Haven Leonard Bright, Bridgeport; Frank Corrigan, Waterbury; William j. Smith, Norwich; and Sebastian ArescO, MiddletOwn.