Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1948-04-30
Behind The
Scenes In
Politics
BY
Clayton
Rusch
Toledo
CIO

struck me as being so timely
and so true that have decided
to pass it on to you without
comment. l think you will
agree that something is hap
pening and that labor had bet
ter wake up, or else. One
thing Is certain, labor should
vote next Tuesday, or else.
I've been reading the papers.
not just one paper for the
news but whole stack of
papers, following one story
through. And l am dismayed
at what l read.
Now l am not one to rave
and rant about I'd ishonest
reporting" and the ''k p t
press" A good reporter is the
same as good bricklayer or a
good. painter, He does the best
he can with the material fur
nj S h d him. What am
worried about is the kind of
materials Labor is giving the
press-and the kind of mate
rials the reporter is getting
elsewhere.
Here's an example. We both
know that when, as, and if
there is another war - God
forbid)-ninety-nine per cent
of the people in this country
will give unstintingly of their
time and efforts - whether
they be among the ranks of
Labor or among the ranks of
Industry. There are some
chiselers-on both sides.
But certain propagandists,
whose names are unimportant
because each locality possesses
them, are making capital out
of the situation. Instead of
fighting labor openly and say
ing they don't want to play
with the UNIONS, or consider
abetterment of conditions, or
even keep their signed con-
tracts-they are talking about
"the state of the nation" "the
public welfare" "the unset
fish approach to the critical
situation" In short, Labor is
being had beautifully.
UNIONS BLAMED
The unions are taking the
blame for everything except
the weather. And if the balloon
goes up, these same SNUG
takers will say eve told you
So" And the public will
assume the shortcomings-and
short production-are all the
fault of the labor movement.
While this is going on, what
is Labor doing? 1t is talking
against. Not for. A broker said
to me the other day: "You
people are bad losers. We
didn't yap about the SEC after
it became law" I'd like to
have played back his own re-
marks at that time, but instead
of delving into ancient history,
went over the papers again.
And there was too much talk
ing against and not enough
explanation of the things for
which organized labor is fight
ing-and why.
1t isn't too late to change
our tactics. 1t isn't too late to
counteract this subtle propa-
ganda, 1t isn't too late to
crystalize public opinion on
our side. And the best way to
do it is the simplest and the
most inexpensive. All it needs
is a small group of trade
unionists in each town who are
willing to activate what they
believe. You-and you-and
yOu-can do IL.
First-read your home town
papers. Every word. And get
up a committee of your quiet
est level-headed members to
answer every slur, every mis-
statement, every derogatory
phrase-carefully, calmly and
analytically. And send it to
the papers or radio stations, or
both.
Second--start blowing your
own horn. Hunt up every good
public act any labor man does.
Write it down briefly and
accurately and send that in to
the papers. What if it doesn't
always land on the front page?
You'll be furnishing the best
tools you have-and you can