Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, October 13, 1993 TAG: 9310130245
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: DAVID REED ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: MARTINSVILLE LENGTH: Medium
The company has been hit hard by layoffs recently, and Lewis du Pont Smith - an heir to the Du Pont chemical fortune who touts himself as a "political activist and pro-union" - said Spannaus is the only pro-union candidate.
Last month, Du Pont announced it would cut 575 union jobs at its Martinsville plant.
"You're going to be sold down the river if you think Mary Sue Terry or George Allen give two hoots about you," said Smith, a member of the political organization of imprisoned political extremist Lyndon LaRouche, as is Spannaus.
He said Terry, the Democratic candidate, and Allen, the Republican, "are trying to compete with each other about who can spit on workers the most."
Last year, a federal jury acquitted Smith's father, Philadelphia businessman E. Newbold Smith, and three other men of charges that they plotted to kidnap Lewis Smith to "deprogram" him from LaRouche's influence.
Smith told about 50 members of the Nylon Employees Union at the union hall that people in Virginia are being "brainwashed" into thinking that there are only two candidates for governor.
"I'm here to tell you there is an alternative if you want to stick it to Du Pont," he said.
The union members applauded Smith several times during his comments. Clinton Jennings, president of the 900-member union, told the group "we don't want to be treated like ants. Let's carry this message back to the plant."
Afterward, Jennings said he agreed with Smith's comments that Terry and Allen don't support the interests of labor. But Jennings said it's too late to gather support behind Spannaus in this campaign.
"A lot of things he's saying, I can agree with," Jennings said. "It's got my eyes open, and it's got me thinking."
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB