Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1949-01-21

two grandsons despite his te
auto parts plant from 1923 t
recording secretary of Local
financial secretary, in 1945 v
as acting executive secretary
the Toledo Industrial Union c
No stranger to politics,
of Representatives in 1941 ;
of Toledo's city council in Is
in 1948.
Burke was a little late get
ting to Washington. The rea-
son: a bout with pneumonia
had him grogzgy and kept
him away from the first ses-
sions of Congress. Doctors
orders were to avoid Wash
ington's cocktail parties and
evening affairs for awhile :
which isn't so bad, consider
ing what most of them are
like. He's trying to get on the
House Labor Committee, and
may have made it by the time
this is read.
Burke's office is all-union,
by the way. His secretary is
Eleanor Coakley, former To-
ledo Blade reporter, interna-
tional officer of the American
Newspaper Guild (CIO) and
secretary of the Toledo CIO
Council.
X X *
Here's a good idea:-The New
Jersey CIO recently threw get
acquainted feed for congressman
from its state. Other CIO groups
are planning to do the same
thing.
It's one thing to pound away
at legislators who vote against
the peoples interests. Many con-
gresham are friendly to labor,
however, and would like to hear
from union people. If a guys
good, tell him so.
The wealthy real estate lobby
had a king-sized shinding for
200 congressman in Washing
toms sWank Statler Hotel Jan
uary IL. Purpose: to get ac-
quainted, and maybe dish out
few digs against rent control
and public housing between the
soup and salad courses.
The CIO doesn't have that
kind of dough to fork out. But
we ought to get to know our
congressman, let them know us.
x \ X
The New York Times on jan
uary 8 published an applause
chart" showing how Congress
to President Truman's state of
the Union speech January 5.
1t offers an interesting tip-off
on what to expect from the boys
in the way of cooperation - or
obstruction-during the session.
They really clapped when
Truman walked in an obvious
and well-deserved tribute for
his victory last November. The
Times scored that as 10 points.
The President drew another 10
when he left the chamber
(Which compared markedly with
the reception he got during the
Both Congress, when reporters
wondered if he'd have to cut his
way through thick ice to get
out)
With 10 as top score, the ap-
plause chart showed Truman
drew eight for repeal of the Taft
Hartley law; seven for aid to
education and the reciprocal
trade program; only five on
widening social security, four on
medical insurance and civil
rights; three on stronger anti
on more loW-cost housing and
tidelands oil; and virtual zero
trust laws; two on controlling
higher taxes.
If that applause chart means
anything, it looks like the CIO-
PAC, and labor in general, can't
afford to take it easy in the next
two years. Only things which
will get Congress on the ball and
keep it there is political action
and not just at election time.
One of the things to remember
from now until 1850 is that 108
of the 435 members of the House
of Representatives scrape d
through with pluralities of less
than per cent in the November
election.
That means a little push this
away or that-a-way can make
the difference between a good or
bad congressman.