The Pittsburgh Press (September 20, 1944)
Beck: Labor 85% for Roosevelt
Washington (UP) –
Dave Beck, vice president and member of the Executive Board of the International Union of Teamsters (AFL), declared today that President Roosevelt was supported by “at least 85 percent of the nation’s workers,” and predicted the Chief Executive would be reelected in November.
Mr. Beck is here making arrangements for a meeting on Saturday of more than 800 state and local officials of the union before whom President Roosevelt will make his first outright political speech of the current campaign.
The address will be broadcast throughout the nation on time purchased by the Democratic National Committee.
Mr. Beck said:
There is no political significance in the meeting. It was not called to discuss politics. The President addressed our convention here in 1940 and we thought it only a matter of courtesy to invite him again. We are glad that he accepted.
Asked whether he thought that Mr. Roosevelt would use the occasion to announce an increase in the base level fixed by the Little Steel wage formula, Mr. Beck replied: “I don’t know, but it would be a damn good place to make the announcement.”