Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1949-11-25

one of The most vital issues facing our people today
adequate pension and social security program tor our Peo
ple >,
Surely, no one can find anything wrong with such
proeram7
Yet we are being attacked daily through the pages OF
our newspapers through The arwaves Of radio sta
lions through innumerabe meetings and gatherings OF
sHNpes.
as peope who wish TO destroy TO wreck Toledo and thus
cause mmeasurable harm to people and TO our COM
nunty.
The fact that personally find myself the object Of all
ypes Of vficaton SANDER and abuse OF the vest kind 49,
actually beside the point. The truth Of the matter is that
when people vent their hatred against they - in reality
- are attacking program and our people.
But let US get down to the facts Of the situation.
So many questions have been directed at US by our
enemies that we propose TO ask few ourselves and then
do something that bitter critics have never done -
answer those questions
Question No. |: Is +he program advocated by
US necessary?
Obviously il is so necessary +he+ even these
critics Of have repeatedly sfoted that they are
also for pensions and for social security. The Blode
and the Times repeatedly stated in their editorial
columns that they FOO. favor pensions and social
security.
But then, here comes the catch. These are the
people whom the Ia+e President Roosevelt SO oPtiy
described once those who say Yes we are
for IL, but And then they give you 81 reasons
eIom to support
Well nv friends. we are not that kind of peo-
pie. We know that working people need pensions
we know they need social security benefits and we
are going oheod to devise a program whereby they
are going to get just +hot.
Question No. z: What type of pensions? How
much social security benefits?
InifiaIIy these quesfions-of least to a small
degree-were answered by our Federal Govern
menf during fhe first and second terms Of President
s-Ll ~xk
the great depression-we saw the Congress odopf
our social security and old age pension laws.
All these steps we're in the right direction.
Perhaps, If those peope who attacking
bter -the indusasts the bankers the insurance mag
nefes-had assisted the Congress- General Assembly
in Columbus to enact laws that would have made adequate
provisions for pensions and social security benefits
might not now be engaged in this type OF fight
But they did nothing Of the sort.
On the contrary they used every Of their power
70 sabotage TO obsue to prevent the adoption Of such
Two days ago Mr. Charles E. Wilson. president Of
General Motors Corp, made speech in city: PEN
sions are needed today in industry :" declared Mr.
Wilson.
And then Mr.. Wilson went on to condemn corpora
fion-wde pensions ndustywde pensions and OF course
proposal for Area" pension system None of
this is good enough for Mr.. Wilson, He wants the Fed
eraI Government to provide these benefits.
How niee Or should we soy. how hypoerifeoI!
Where were the wilson's ond the rest Of the indus
frolisfs. the bonkers. the insurance maenotes and
all their satellites when we in UAW-cIO - together
with the rest of organized obor-fough+ for the i'm
Provemenf of soeiaI Security and Old Age Pension
Legslofion? Or did these people just find out fha+
the meosIy sum of $500 per monfh-+he average
old age pension todoy-is hardly enough for dog.
let oIone human being? ask you. and every Amer.
can listening TO me. is $500 month the sum Of
money person needs TO retire on7 am sure your
answer is mo-"
OF course, we welcome Mr.. Wilson and his wealthy
and influential friends TO help get the Congress TO make
fne necessary improvements state and federal laws
we don't deny that Ultimately the responsibility for ade-
ouafe pansnns and r