Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-21
Union Leader
|Assai|s 6. 0. P.
'WindfaII State
Record of Nixon
Hit at Meeting Of
Clothing Workers

Jacob Potofsky, president OF
the 400,000-member Amalga-
mated Clothing Workers OF
America, today blasted the
Eisenhower administration as
Ifavoring the "windfall state"
This was one Of many charges
the labor leader threw at the
administration as the clothing
workers opened their week-lone
goth biennial convention in the
Sheraton-Park Hotel.
Mr.. Potofsky cut loose at the
Republicans generally and al
Vice President Nixon in particu-
lar.
Richard Nixon's record" he
asserted, lis nothing to inspire
confidence or respect"
I'm his hands, the political
smear has become a national
weapon. and cynical partisan
ship has attained astronomical
|heights-or devilish depths.
IF Richard Nixon were to be.
come President what do you sup.
pose would become of oul
heritage of individual freedom
and political morality?"
Hits Prosperity Boasts"
Mr.. Potofsky said that while
the administration boasts about
prosperity small businessmen
are closing their doors and small
farmers and workers in dis
tressed areas wonder when the
profits will trickle down to them.
The administration, he added
has surrounded itself with
agents Of big business interests
given away" valuable public
resources to private interests
and has geared many of its
major policies for the primary
benefit of corporations and spe-
cial interests.
Government agencies, more
over, have been largely taken
over" by the industries they are
supposed to regulate, he added.
THE administration does not
like the welfare state" Mr.. Po-
tofsky said. What does it pre-
fer instead? 1t has substituted
the windfall State-galloping
windfalls for big business"
mot Out of Woods"
He said that while civil liber-
ties now enjoy a better climate,
I'VE are still not out of the
woods"
1t should be borne in mind. he
said. that "often the greatest
value of freedom of speech is
not to the minority who want to
talk but to the majority who
often do not want to listen"
He accused the administration
further of being unable to meet
such international emergencies
as the Middle East crisis.
The labor leader pointedly
urged the membership to support
the Committee on Political Edu-
cation of the AFL-CIO.
Mr.. Potofsky, also a vice pres
ident of the AFL-CIO, urged
unions to take on greater pow
erS to root out crooks from the
labor movement.
He declared that labor should
not wait for Federal legislation
but should take the lead" in
eliminating labor racketeers.
He declared that I'VE wish
to go further and suggest that
the unified labor movement give
its ethical practices committee
additional power. full power and
authority to investigate any
charges or complaints against
any person or group in the ranks
of labor who betray their trust
THE policing of the admin
istration Of these funds should
neither depend on, nor wait for
Legislation.
Labor itself should take the
lead since it is the first to suffer
from any abuses or wrong-doing
by selfish, corrupt individuals. .
Progress of the clothing work.
ers union in the last two years
was cited by Mr.. Potofsky and
the general executive board in
its regular report.
$4,000 New Members
Among the gains listed were
10000 new members and union
ization of 300 shops. Two new
health centers and a new recre-
alton center have been estab-
lished to benefit members. A
total Of SOS million in health and
life insurance benefits has been
paid, as well as SAL million in
retirement. Reserves of these
two combined funds total sl22
million.
The board Joined Mr.. Potofsky
in urging support Of men and
policies that will guarantee a
liberal" administration and
Congress.
Other speakers scheduled to
be heard during the sessions in
clude AFL-CIO President George
Meany. Hugh Gaitskell, head Of
the Mritish Labor Party; Mrs.
Eleanor Roosevelt, Secretary of
Labor James P. Mitchell, Senator
Herbert H. Lehman and DR..
Charles S. johnson, president,
Fisk University. Nashville, Tenn.