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From Labor Action, Vol. 14 No. 22, 29 May 1950, p. 2.
Transcribed & marked up by Einde O’Callaghan for the Encyclopaedia of Trotskyism On-Line (ETOL).
DETROIT, May 22 – Newspapers in Toledo and Detroit had a real field day with the reputation of the United Auto Workers (CIO) through sensational stories and headlines during the past week concerning a “rebellion” against Richard T. Gosser, UAW vice-president and a dominant figure in the Toledo labor movement.
What gave the whole matter an air of credibility was the bitter statements of the president of the CIO Council in that city. Richard L. Lazzette, council president, told reporters that he had sent the following telegram to Walter P. Reuther, UAW president:
“I request your presence here at once to try to straighten out the mess.
“If you don’t come I shall prefer charges against you through the national CIO executive board for negligence in allowing the labor movement in Toledo to be destroyed.
“They have chosen up sides and this can lead only to one thing – bloodshed and destruction of the labor movement in the city of Toledo.”
What was Lazzette referring to? Five units of Local 12, UAW-CIO. were protesting the replacement of 12 girls working in its office who had gone oh strike – or had quit, or something – to back the secretary-treasurer of Local 12 on what issue is not fully clear as yet. (This official evidently wants to protest some financial matters.)
What did the rebel officials say? “Placing other people on the jobs of these striking workers is abhorrent to anyone who knows and agrees with the fundamental principle of trade unionism.”
Emil Mazey, UAW secretary-treasurer, headed a committee that rushed to Toledo and after an investigation which had begun some months back, cleared Gosser of any charges, saying that all regional and local union records were in order.
President Lazzette suddenly became silent and refused to comment on what his telegram meant. He claimed,he had not given it to reporters, which is nonsense.
Gosser appeared at a special meeting of Local 12, details of which meeting are not available. Result was that his suggestion that an impartial investigating committee be organized, including a grand jury, to clear his name, was adopted by the meeting.
Fitting somewhere in this picture is a suit against the UAW by an expelled member, John A. Bolman, concerning some real-estate deals involving Gosser. Bolman claims that Gosser and his associates, through a sportsman’s club, cleaned up $21,000 profit by selling a summer camp to a Local 12 holding company, organized by Gosser. Dick Gosser, according to all reports, was cited for contempt of court for refusing to answer questions in connection with the case in court on April 6.
Mazey’s committee had cleared Gosser of any charges made on these lines. Yet the court case remains.
Also fitting into this picture is the terrific anti-UAW campaign waged by Toledo’s employers, including the one and only big newspaper, the Toledo Blade, whose editor had been quoted as admitting he is backing Bolman financially in his suit against the UAW.
Recently a member of the UAW in Toledo was highly praised by all Detroit and Toledo newspapers for refusing to pay her strike assessment during the Chrysler strike. The union hasn’t dared discipline her yet, for fear of more headlines.
What does this all add up to? In Detroit, the reaction has not been one of full confidence in either Gosser or Reuther. As a matter of fact, the resentment against the leadership because of the long Chrysler strike has increased with these headlines.
In Toledo, there is a reactionary anti-union campaign which has some support in the shops against the UAW and there is a progressive resentment against the strong grip that Gosser has maintained over the UAW there.
Not until the whole situation is cleared up will it be known exactly what forces were decisive in creating the crisis in Toledo.
One thing is certain: The day is long past when just ordinary statements or actions by the Reuther leadership will suffice to answer the many questions, the progressive and also the reactionary attacks on this leadership.
Walter Reuther’s honeymoon period is completely over. If any evidence is found which hurts Gosser, the main loser will be Reuther. If Gosser is completely vindicated, the Reuther leadership still has the task of convincing the ranks that it was not a whitewash.
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