Amerikai Magyar Szó, 1974. január-június (28. évfolyam, 1-26. szám)
1974-04-11 / 15. szám
Thursday, April, 11.1974 5 AMERIKAI MAGYAR SZÓ This concern over cost of living carried over into meetings held later in the day with the congressmen. When Rep. Green challenged a UE delegation to tell him how to deal with inflation, one of the union members present shot back: “The same influence that gave corporations the right to raise prices, why can’t it be used to raise wages ?” EXPECT CONGRESSMEN TO WORK FOR US A young delegate spoke up “for those of us who have to work two jobs just to make ends meet. I’ve been saving three years trying to get enough money together to buy a house. But every year the cost goes higher and higher and the money I’ve saved is worth less and less.’’ While recognizing the positive aspects of the congressman’s record, the delegate urged: “We expect our congressman to work for us, not just vote right. We’re telling you our point of view and expect you to use your ingenuity to see that things get done.” “We’re angry," Richard Di Lucia, president of UE Local 107 spoke up, “and you should tell that to your colleagues whom we don’t have the chance of seeing today.” Meanwhile, elsewhere in the three immense House Office buildings, other groups of delegates were meeting with their representatives or calling them off the House floor to relate the reasons which had brought them to Washington. There were angry meetings at which, for example, the union members challenged a congressman’s opposition to food stamps for strikers, and meetings where men with pro-labor voting records were advised that this wasn’t enough in these times. All the months of pent up feeling about Nixon’s policies exploded in the wind-up meeting at the end of this grueling day as humor borne of bitterness and anger arising out of frustration ran through the room where every seat in front, every seat on the dais usually occupied by congressmen, and every foot of floor space was filled. Rep. James A Burke (D.. Mass.) aordauile'd when he reported that ne is the sponsor .? f. bili tc eut back Social Security taxes from the present 5.8 percent to S.S percent. He noted that more than 50 percent of the people are paying more on Social Security than in income taxes. “IMPRESSED A LOT OF PEOPLE” Rep, Brock Adam?, the sponsor of a bill to establish a TVA-type agency for oil, urged the UE members to work for a “veto-proof Congress in 1974.” He was given petitions containing 20,000 names in favor of such an agency collected by District 1. The UE NEWS asked Mrs. Stella Smerek, a GE worker at Allentown, Pa. plant, what she though of the day’s events. Her answer was: “I’ve never been to something like this. It gives me the feeling that I can get something across to other people, get them involved in doing things. I’ve been handing out a lot of leaflets here and I feel we impressed a lot of people who took them.” MORE THE “FED UP” The latest public opinion polls show that about 75 percent of the American people are fed up with Nixon. Those who came to Washington this day were more than fed up. They did something about it. The Washington action was led by District 1 Pres. Tom Sharkey and District 6 Pres. Daniel Marguriet. ALBANY, N.Y. A Consolidated Edison vállalat 40 millió dollárral csökkenti az uj aramfejlesz- tesre előirányzott összeget. Ugyanakkor ismét kérvényezte az áramszolgáltatási díjazás emelését, ezúttal 29.3 százalékkal. ♦ WASHINGTON, D.C. Az Esküdtszék bűnösnek minősítette Dwight L. Chapint, Nixon elnök volt személyes titkárát, két vad pontban: hamisan tanúskodott a Nagyesküdtszék előtt Donald H. Segretti, a „piszkos trük- kok”elkÖvetöjének tetteivel kapcsolatban. Május 16,-án mondják ki az ítéletet. Chapin-t tiz évi börtönbüntetésre és 10.000 dollár pénzbírságra ítélhetik. THE PEOPLES’ RIGHTS Sen. Walter Mondale (D., Minn.) told the meeting that he realized that they were in town “to try to make the government work for the people.” He expressed his support for a rollback of oil prices estimating that the price of Oil this year will be $20 billion higher for the American people than it was last year. Referring to the union program, which he held in his hand, the Minnesota senator said he. too. sunportfed the Ken- neuy-Griffith health insurance bill “so that health is a matter of right” for They cheered when Pres. Fitzgerald answered an audience call for impeachment with: “We in this union never wanted him in the first place.” Calling the roll of the many ways in which a week’s earnings are slashed before the worker takes it home, the UE officer reminded the audience: “When meat prices started to soar, they told us to eat fish. When fish prices climbed, they urged us to become vegetarians. Now potatoes and beans and peas cost more than meat and fish together. WORKERS’ PATIENCE WORN THIN “We’re here because we found that writing letters was not doing us any good. Our people are in trouble and they are determined to fignt to protect their standard of living?* But if the frequent interruptions of applause were loud they were as nothing compared to the outburst which , greeted Pres. Fitzgerald’s warning to the Administration and its corporate pals: “ The patience of the working people has worn thin. If demonstrations like this don’t bring results, we’re prepared to stay away from work until our grievances are handled to our satisfaction.” STEAL GAINS WON IN NEGOTIATIONS Sec.-Treas. Matles sensed the feeling of this demonstrative group when he told them that “you ought to be proud that you are part of this organization, for what you have done today. We have given notice to the White House and Congress that we will not stand for going through strikes and battles with the corporations, winning some crumbs from them and then have it stolen from us by the actions of government.” He urged the union members to carry this message to the rank and file of every union back home. As to the President, he reminded the. members that “we fought Nixon as a congressman, wé fought him as a senator, we fought him as a vice president and we have fought him as a President because he was bought and paid for by the corporations.” HEALTH CARE FOR ALL IS MATTER OF RIGHT Sen. Walter Mondale (D.-Minn.) tells UE delegates. Senator supports Kennedy- Griffith Health Security Act. He applauded delegates’ demand that government work for the people. CONGRESSMAN MAKES A POINT — Rep Brock Adams (D.-Wash.), who has submitted a bill to roll back oil prices and establish a “TVA" authority for oil industry speaks before big crowd that packed the House Caucus room. THIS IS WHAT WE WANT — Congressman Heinz (R.-Pa .) listen as Chuck Brush, chief steward, Local 610, puts 610 delegation s program before the Pennsylvania lawmaker.
