The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1938-10-13
5STH CONVENTION


9a IT, 5sTH CONVENTION
To the Fifty-eghth Convention Of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor, meeting in Houston,
Texas now, the attention not only of this country
but of the whole world is turned. The labor move
ment is no longer organization of persons
whose interests and views can be ignored by those
determining national and international policies. We
have made our workers constructive and respect
ed group of citizens, conscious of our own welfare
and able to present our cause effectively. Labor
has a responsibility in connection with national
and international policies and it constitutes nu-
merically large proportion of our citizenry In ac-
cord with democratic principles our influence can
be in proportion to our wisdom and our representa-
tive character.
The Houston convention, with President James
NJ Duffy, First Vice President r. l.. Wheatley and
William Watkin in attendance is considering the
work and record of the past year and deciding up
on principles and policies to be followed in the
ing year. Despite serious difficulties we have
made substantial progress in membership and in
public esteem. We have secured important pro-
tectiye and constructive Legislation which has
unfolded basic and serious problems in admins
tration. We have added to our political influence
and prestige We have increased our influence and
International Labour Office and the International
Federation of Trade Unions.
Through nationwide organization of workers
in trade unions having jurisdiction over their
crafts or occupations; and federation of local
unions in central labor unions and state fedora
tions and national unions into the American Fed
Grafton of Labor, we have a cohesive mobile organ
zation, able to give effective service in each plane
of cfi iuify lac &c, havo foct oJ
during tenacity of our organization Despite seri-
Gus problems on the one hand and encouragement
to disloyalty on the other our organization en-
erges stronger than ever before and with renewed
appreciation for our fundamental principles and
for orderly constructive progress. We realize that
unions must be democratically controlled and that
elected officials and saaried executives must
carry out decisions reached by the majority of our
members.
We are now in period in which the rights
of workers are being defined in law and we have
responsibility for definition and administration of
those rights in the light of the fact that workers
must act collectively through unions of their own
choosing. In the administration of the rights of
labor there is difficulty in getting administrators
to understand that their function is not control Of
unions but simply the maintenance of specific
rights within the frame work of the free labor
movement. Unions are human organizations that
have developed out of need and suffering. They
have been built up by sacrifice and even bloodshed.
They have many functions, each of which must be
determined with reference to all others. They must
be guided continuously with reference to the well
fare of wage-earners. Obviously decision upon
fundamental policies must lie with the workers
themselves. Those who administer our rights must
base all decisions on this basic fact. This matter
as we'll as legislative plans come before the Hous-
ton Convention.
In addition to decisions with regard to national
policies the Houston Convention must consider our
responsibility with regard to relations with other
Nations We want peace and must have the wis
dom to promote policies that will lead to peace We
cannot stop merely with negative positions for we
shall be forced into positive decision against
our will. We cannot have peace if other nations
make war.
The decision Of the Houston Convention will be
Of far,reachlng consequence.