Fall of Florence to British near
Yanks storm defenses of Pisa in Italy
By Reynolds Packard, United Press staff writer
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B-29 rip Japs’ Asiatic arsenal
Batter war plants at Anshan, Manchuria
By Walter Rundle, United Press staff writer
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U.S. subs sink 17 more vessels
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Marines capture Guam peninsula
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Yanks raid isle near Philippines
MacArthur’s fliers bag 45 planes
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Hospital plane carrying 26 lost in North Atlantic
Former Pittsburgh bus driver one of 18 litter patients being brought to states
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Real political action!
‘Get the dough but plenty!’ state CIO told
‘The more we get the more we can spend’
By Robert Taylor, Pittsburgh Press staff writer
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania – (July 29)
The “Pennsylvania Political Action Committee,” the newest arm of the CIO political action group, organized today to raise a dollar each from every CIO member in the state, as part of a $5-million campaign fund in the United States.
Some 300 representatives of the CIO local unions, who met today to approve organization of the new committee, were armed with receipt books and told to “go out and get the dough, if you want political action to succeed.”
The new group, formed as the state committee of the National Citizens’ Political Action Committee, wants voluntary contributions of a dollar each from CIO members and will accept similar contributions up to the legal limit of $5,000 from “friends of the CIO.”
Wants ‘all we can get’
David J. McDonald of Pittsburgh, secretary-treasurer of the United Steel Workers, finance chairman of the NCPAC and board member of the previously-formed CIO-PAC, explained it to the members this way:
If every member of the CIO contributes, we will have roughly $5 million, half of each contribution will go to the national committee and the other half of the county, state and regional committees.
I hope we get $25 million. We want all we can get. The more we get, the more we can spend. The more we spend, the better Congress we will have. The more we spend in Pennsylvania, the better state legislature we will have. It’s as simple as that.
Endorses Democrats
The committee formed today by CIO delegates is a campaign committee and its funds will be spent on behalf of candidates endorsed by the committee who now include the national and state Democratic tickets.
Mr. McDonald explained that the CIO-PAC, which raised $700,000 in union funds, is not permitted to spend a penny of it in campaigning, “because the law says it was contributed by unions, as such.”
The Smith-Connally Act, bitterly opposed by the CIO, banned union contributions to political candidates or committees. Federal law restricts expenditures of political committees in federal elections to $3 million, and individual contributions to $5,000.
State officials of the new political action group explained that the CIO-PAC would be retained for educational work among CIO members and the new committee, formed by citizens, would be for campaign purposes and to enlist support of all labor, farm, liberal and progressive groups.
Will adhere to law
Mr. McDonald advised the meeting the new committee will adhere strictly to the letter of Pennsylvania law in raising its money, issuing individual receipts to each donor.
He said half of each dollar would go to the NCPAC and the remaining 50 cents would be retained by the local union for county, state and regional purposes. He suggested 20 cents be sent to the state committee and 30 cents to the country political action committees which are to be formed.
He pointed out:
That will leave none for the local. A local union can’t spend political money under state law. To do so, they must set up a local group and get a lawyer to tell them what to do.
Rather than bother with setting up five to ten thousand local political action groups, we believe the state and county groups will be able to function better.
325,000 members in state
CIO unions are estimated to comprise some 325,000 members in Pennsylvania and the suggested division of dollar contributions would give more than $150,000 to the NCPAC, $60,000 to the state group and $90,000 to county committees.
The head of the finance committee which will head the fund drive is A. J. Federoff, CIO regional director at Pittsburgh and secretary-treasurer of the Pennsylvania PAC. Joseph a. Donoghue, Pennsylvania regional director of the CIO-PAC, was also named state director of the Pennsylvania PAC, of which John A. Phillips, president of the state industrial union council (CIO), is chairman.
Explains ABCs
Mr. McDonald told the meeting the ABC of political action is: Complete registration of voters, endorsement of friendly candidates by free expression of the PAC members and getting out the vote.
He said:
We are concerned not in parties as such. We are concerned with persons and principles. We are not our ringing the gong for any party as such. We scan the records and principles of parties and persons. This is a strictly nonpartisan political action committee.
It’s true we endorsed President Roosevelt and the Democratic ticket. In many parts of the country, we endorsed Republicans, as far friendlier than Democrats.
Formed by ‘citizens’
Unlike the CIO-PAC, which was formed directly and affiliated with the CIO, the NCPAC and its new Pennsylvania affiliate is an organization formed by union members as “citizens.”
The citizens who attended today’s meeting were representatives of CIO locals who were asked to send their representatives here to ratify the committee organized temporarily June 27. They perfunctorily approved its formation and officers.
Congressional chiefs to speed action on reconversion bills
House and Senate committees to convene this week to set up guideposts
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Special trains granted to top candidates
Washington (UP) – (July 29)
Special passenger trains for campaign purposes will be provided to any duly nominated presidential and vice-presidential candidate, the Office of Defense Transportation said today.
The order, effective from tomorrow through Nov. 10, was issued under a special permit authorizing use of extra sections, cars, regularly-scheduled passenger trains, or special trains to nominees for either of those two offices.
Roosevelt reelection odds are cut to 2–5
St. Louis, Missouri (UP) – (July 29)
James J. Carroll, nationally known betting commissioner, shortened his odds on the reelection of President Roosevelt today from 1–3 to 2–5.
At the same time, he cut the odds against Thomas E. Dewey from 2.5–1 to a new price of 9–5.
“A flood of Dewey money showed up, forcing us to cut his price,” Carroll said.
Willkie demands Ham Fish’s defeat
New York (UP) – (July 29)
Wendell L. Willkie tonight called for the defeat of Hamilton Fish in his campaign for reelection to Congress from the newly-constituted 29th district of New York.
Mr. Willkie’s statement, in the form of a telegram to playwright Maxwell Anderson, followed by one day Governor Thomas E. Dewey’s repudiation of the Republican Congressman for “injecting a racial issue into the campaign.”
Mr. Willkie’s wire said:
Your fight to prevent his [Congressman Fish’s] reelection to Congress is certainly a public service. It is a great public service to all Americans to help terminate the political career of Ham Fish.
The text of the telegram was public when Mr. Anderson requested the 1940 Republican presidential candidate to defend him should Congressman Fish carry out his threat to bring suit because of Mr. Anderson’s action in printing an advertisement reportedly linking Congressman Fish’s name with “certain persons who have been indicted or convicted as Nazi agents.”
The advertisement reputedly links Congressman Fish’s name with Fritz Kuhn, German-American Bund leader, and George Sylvester Viereck, who was convicted for failing to register as an enemy agent.
Mr. Willkie wired the playwright:
In response to your request, I shall count it a public service to represent you in any libel action which Hamilton Fish may bring.
Mr. Willkie based his repudiation on what he called Congressman Fish’s “narrow nationalistic view.” Such a view, he said, is “the inevitable producer of antisemitism and a dozen other perils to democracy.”
Rayburn advises Texas electors to vote with people
Bonham, Texas (UP) – (July 29)
House Speaker Sam Rayburn told a harmonious Pro-Roosevelt Fannin County Convention here today that, if electors chosen by the people do not vote as directed, “they will be the greatest embezzlers of all time.”
Speaker Rayburn, speaking extemporaneously, said:
I plan to vote for all nominees of the Democratic Party from constable up to President and I want my vote counted.
If I were not a Democrat, I would not participate in the convention and primary.
The Speaker said everyone will have an opportunity to vote for either the Democratic ticket headed by President Roosevelt or the Republican ticket headed by New York’s Governor Thomas E. Dewey.
He declared:
And if the vast majority of Texans cast their voted for the ticket headed by Mr. Roosevelt – as I think they will – then the electors will be the greatest embezzlers of all time if they fail to cast their vote as directed by Texas Democrats.
I hope and trust that every county convention will send a delegation to the state convention that will, in some manner, right the matter of the electors so that they will cast their votes as the people of Texas intend them to be cast.
Nation watches Missouri vote as big names gather
Five other primaries scheduled next week while GOP governors meet
Washington (UP) – (July 29)
The political eyes of the nation shifted tonight to Missouri in anticipation of next week’s concentration there of three of the leading figures in the 1944 presidential campaign, coincident with a hotly-contested primary on Tuesday.
The spotlight centered on the meeting of Thomas E. Dewey and John W. Bricker, Republican presidential and vice-presidential nominees, with 24 other Republican governors in St. Louis on Aug. 2 and 3.
Other attention was focused on the race between Senator Bennett Champ Clark and Attorney General Roy D. McKittrick for the Democratic senatorial nomination in the Missouri primary on Aug. 1 and the presence of Senator Harry S. Truman, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, at his Independence, Missouri, home.
Shunted into the background by such a concentration of leaders and competition was the fact that five other state primaries, involving races of three other Senate veterans for renomination, are also scheduled next week.
Senator Clyde M. Reed (R-KS) and Senator Robert F. Wagner (D-NY) confronted no trouble for renomination in their respective party primaries Tuesday. Virginia, which has no Senate contest this year, also has primaries scheduled for Tuesday.
Senator Alben W. Barkley (D-KY), Democratic Leader, was generally conceded an easy victory over two opponents in the Kentucky Democratic primary on Aug. 5. The Tennessee primary, Aug. 3, is centered on local issues.
The Dewey-Bricker conference with other Republican Governors was called by the GOP presidential nominee to discuss cooperation between state and federal government. There is no question, however, but that Governor Dewey will use the opportunity to discuss with the governors possible issues for him to raise in the fall campaign.
The CIO in politics –
Hillman and Murray call PAC crusade to keep democracy
Immediate purpose is to reelect Roosevelt and install pro-labor Congress
By Blair Moody, North American Newspaper Alliance
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Timetable of Dewey’s day in Pittsburgh
Governor Dewey’s auto caravan will follow this route tomorrow when the Republican candidate for President travels from the Pennsylvania Station to the William Penn Hotel. He will arrive at 8:55 a.m. ET. A procession of about 20 cars is planned. Mr. Dewey and his party will leave the hotel at 9:15 p.m. and reverse this route before boarding a train for Springfield, Illinois, except that he will go south on Grant Street from the hotel and thence directly down Fifth Avenue.Here is the complete timetable of Governor Thomas E. Dewey’s day in Pittsburgh tomorrow (all times ET):
8:55 a.m.: Arrive Pennsylvania Station, parade down Liberty Avenue, to Fifth Avenue, to William Penn Way to Sixth Avenue, to Grant Street, to William Penn Hotel.
10:00 a.m.: Press conference.
11:00 a.m.: Conference with labor group.
11:30 a.m.: Conference with business group.
Noon: Conference with farm group.
12:30 p.m.: Conference with war veterans group.
1:00 p.m.: Luncheon with Pennsylvania candidates.
2:00 p.m.: Conference with Congressional and statewide candidates.
3:30 p.m.: Reception at Ball Room, William Penn Hotel.
6:00 p.m.: Conference with officials of United Mine Workers.
7:30 p.m.: Dinner with Republican State Executive Committee, statewide candidates and local Republican leaders.
9:00 p.m.: Press conference.
9:15 p.m.: Leaves William Penn Hotel. Parade down Grant Street to Fifth Avenue, to Liberty Avenue, to Pennsylvania Station.
9:44 p.m.: Train leaves for Springfield, Illinois.
Dewey shuns help from isolationists
His repudiation of ‘Ham Fish’ cited
Albany, New York (UP) – (July 29)
Governor Thomas E. Dewey, having bitterly denounced persons attempting to “inject racial and religious issues” into political campaigns, left Albany today for his Pawling farm, preliminary to an invasion of pivotal Midwestern states.
The Republican presidential nominee will remain at his farm only overnight before proceeding to New York City, where he will board a train for Pittsburgh to meet with Pennsylvania Congressional representatives and leaders of business, labor and agriculture. He will leave Pittsburgh Monday for Springfield, Illinois, and St. Louis, where the Republican Governors’ Conference opens Wednesday.
Attacks ‘Ham’ Fish
Mr. Dewey’s repudiation of Congressman Hamilton Fish, veteran New York legislator, was interpreted as a move to shake all so-called isolationist groups from the Republican camp. The Governor’s attack followed publication of an interview in which the Congressman was quoted, “All Jews will vote for the New Deal and President Roosevelt.”
The Governor said he had “fought that kind of thing all my life and always will regardless of partisan consideration.” He added that he had “never accepted the support of any such individual and I never shall.”
In reply to Mr. Dewey, Mr. Fish said he would “bet a dollar that Dewey doesn’t carry one district in New York City that is predominantly Jewish.”
Fish predicts victory
He added:
When I referred to the fact that people of Jewish origin are largely in favor of the New Deal, I stated a fact that everybody knows.
Mr. Fish said Mr. Dewey’s repudiation would tend to increase his margin of victory in the Aug. 1 primaries and that people of his district resented interference from outside sources.
After issuing the anti-Fish statement, Dewey conferred with former Kentucky Governor Flem D. Sampson and Watertown (New York) publisher Harold B. Johnson.
Waterway discussed
Mr. Dewey and Mr. Johnson discussed the St. Lawrence Waterway and it was understood that the Governor reiterated a statement he made in 1940 in support of the project. Mr. Dewey’s approval of the waterway will remove it as an issue of the presidential campaigns. President Roosevelt also favors the development.
Mr. Sampson said he believed the Dewey-Bricker ticket would receive “a very substantial majority” in Kentucky.
Poll: Dewey holds lead in Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and Indiana
Republican ahead in Wolverine and Hoosier states with 57% of civilian vote
By George Gallup, Director, American Institute of Public Opinion
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Wallace blames Southern group
Lays his defeat to ‘reactionaries’
Des Moines, Iowa (UP) – (July 29)
Vice President Henry A. Wallace today exonerated the South as a whole for his failure to win renomination at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last week, but inferred that he blamed “Wall Street-financed Southern reactionary leaders” for the outcome of the voting.
“It is important to say a word about my Southern friends,” Mr. Wallace, who is serving as permanent chairman of the Democratic Platform Committee at the State Convention, told the delegates.
The farmers of the Midwest owe a lot to the farmers of the South. We would never have gotten satisfactory agricultural legislation if it had not been for men like Marvin Jones, Senator John Bankhead and Senator Alben Barkley.
There are certain reactionary leaders, but they are usually financed directly or indirectly from the North. More and more an intelligent, constructive liberal leadership will arise in the South which will not owe anything directly or indirectly to Wall Street or to outworn prejudices.
One function of a liberal, constructive Democratic Party is to keep the West and South united. Another function is to keep the farmer and labor united.