Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1948-11-19

ointed AFL regional director
be vacated when Burke takes
up his duties in Washington
as Congressman from the
Ninth District is no longer q
mystery.
Gosser issued a answer to
that commitment last week and
Burke clears up his part in his
column titled, Time For Plain
Talk which appears on page 4
of this Journal issue.
Never Made Commitment
In his statement the vice presi-
dent Of the UAW denied that he
never made a commitment to
Sturm and added that if he did
we would like to know when it
was made, where and who was
present at the so-called meeting.
The following day Sturm issued
a statement to the morning pa
per which stated that the COM
mitment was made to John Kel-
ly, chairman Of the Lucas Coun-
ty Democratic Committee. Mr..
Kelly in answer to a Journal re-
porter's question on the state
ment could not recall of having
heard of direct commitment
made by either Gosser or Burke,
regarding Sturm and the support
for the council seat.
Burke's Answer
In his answer to the alleged
commitment Burke writes, Il
made no commitment of filling
my vacancy in City Council be-
cause had no practical commit
ment to make. There will be no
vacancy until resign; therefore
/ have no vote to promise.
The vice mayor who has been
writing column for the Journal
for several years as executive
secretary of the Toledo Indus
trial Union Council, CIO sheds
further light on the alleged COM
mItment by saying, Il cannot
commit the CIO to give its sup
port until the people in the CIO
authorize me to do so. These are
solid facts that no one can
deny"
Berlacher Named
The fight over who will be
to Burke in City Coun-
Gil developed when the United
Labor Legislative Comuittee,
composed of top CIO and AFL
and MESA and railroad brother
hoods nominated Franz Berlach-
er instead of Sturm as their can
didate for the council seat.
Following the announcement
of ULLC Committee, Sturm re-
leased to the press the alleged
commitments to have been made
by Gosser and Burke to support
him for the council vacancy. He
rallied to his side some union
officials representing a minority
group in his favor.
Conversation in labor circles
points out that those supporting
Sturm are not speaking for the
of members in the
unions. Rumors in the labor
circles say that one Sturm
packer openly stating that he
represents a certain local, was
taken to task by the board men,
oers of the particular local for
claiming he speaks for that
group. He was told to express
MS views as an individual only.
Unity Still Shown
The labor circles group dis
counted the opinion of individ-
Ials and certain newspaper writ
ers that unity was threatened in
he United Labor Committee.
Their talks point to the contin-
led unity in that the ULL group
las not changed their opinion in
their candidate for Coun-
ii. The intended disruption,
hey explain, was attempted by
few disgruntled individuals.
To date none of the commit
nents are proved to be correct
md as to its originality that
GEMS to be clarified by the pub
ic statements from Gosser and
lice Mayor Burke.
And to this day the labor
ircles carry a puzzled express
ion as to why Gosser was sing
ed out as target of criticism by
ertain individuals in the selec-
ion of the candidate by the |
United Labor Legislative Com 1
littee. That answer, if any, is in/
bscurity.