Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1951-02-09
Regional
Views
By Richard T. Cosser
international Vice President
UAW-CIO
UAW-CIO

kE@S2 & international Vice President
UAW-CIO
TeHE INExCUSEABLE 'gas crisis of the Last few
days in our community should prove TO every
what have been saying for long, long
time. First that the arrogant and profit hungry
masters of the gas utility worry about their profits
only and not tinkers damn about the wei
fare of the people they supposed to serve And,
second, that Paul Blocks Blade and Times out
to protect these gas moguls in their plumber OF
the peoples welfare
First of all, why is it that year after year. dur
ing each cold spell people have to suffer these
hardships? Why is it that the gas utility bosses are
not called to task to provide for the welfare of our
people they supposed to do? Sure, each time
we've had "gas crisis in the past promises are
made Ito correct the situation" But these promises
forgotten just quickly they made. For
this the responsibility rests with city officials,
not to mention those self appointed guardians OF
the peoples welfare the Blade and Times
Apparently promises to the people mean nothing
to those who make such promises
4
LET'S TAKE A brief look at what happened i'm
Toledo during the past week. First of ALL thousands
of people women and children included - suf-
fered intensely because of the gas shortage. Hun
dreds if not thousands, of homes had had to be
evacuated because of lack of heat. great number
Of these homes suffered serious damage re-
suit of frozen water lines damage that will cost
dearly these home owners on top OF their personal
suffering.
But this is not ALL Hundreds of business places
had to close shop because there gas for
heat Who estimate the financial loss incurred
by these innocent vi let M of our caloused gas
utility bosses?
BUT EVEN MORE IMPORTANT is the loss
suffered by the people a result of being sent
home from their jobs because of the gas shortage
We don't know for sure, but the man-hours of work
lost as result of this 'gas crisis must into
the millions. After all the "gas ban' issued by the
Gas Co. affected 125 area industrial plants And
among these plants the largest employers we
have in our city My own plant the WHY'S Overland
Co., lost days of work - days of urgent defense
production simply because there was gas avail
able to operate the plant.
X
THIS BRINGS ME to the final point want to
make - the attitude of Paul Block Jr., the news
paper monopolst in city, to this serious situa-
ton. Sure Little Juniors reporters write up the
suffering caused by the gas shortage. They even
quote some of public spirited citizens who con-
denim the Gas Co. Occasionally editorial
appears wherein the mighty lads of Little Junior
Sputter and stutter against the all too apparent
criminal responsibility of the Gas Co. bosses.
But just think for moment what Little Juniors
Blade and Times yes this biased gutter sheet that
disgraces community each weekday morning
If this gas shortage were the result of a labor
dispute. 1t would make no difference to Block how
right the workers might be; how wrong the
Gas Co. officials might be, these workers and their
unions would be condemned to hell and back again.
Yes, Block would be calling for the Army Navy and
the Marines to boot Block would be calling for the
blood OF these workers and particularly their union
leaders.
God, just imagine what Block would be saying
today if the defense production in plants were
curtailed by union in any legitimate and legal
strike actiOn Every day, in every issue of these
papers would find front page editorials yelling
for virtual lynch law against working people
and their union officials. t# .--
But when all this suffering, all this financial
loss all this damage is caused by Big Business,
Little Junior has mighty little to say.
To the most amazing thing in this whole
disgusting and revolving situation is the infinite
patience of people and the boundless hypocrisy
of Paul Blocks gutter sheets e
QI World War III veteran who lost
leg in service. Last summer applied for auto
mobile under the Gears for amputeeS' law that