The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1939-12-15
He Sharply Criticizes Reciprocal
Trade Treaties AS Working to
the Detriment of American
Labor.

Washington, d. C. (ILNS).--Buy-
ing of union-made goods as means
of promoting prosperity and keeping
America from involvement in foreign
war was stressed by l. NJ. Ornburn,
secretary treasurer of the Union La
bel Trades Department, American
Federation of Labor, in a radio ad-
dress delivered over the Blue Network
of the National Broadcasting Com
pany.
Ornburn sharply criticized recipro-
cal trade treaties as having worked
to the detriment of American labor
and declared such agreements should
be ratified by Congress. His state
ment is regarded as significant in
view of the intention of Senator
Wheeler and others to fight to give
the Senate power to ratify or reject
treaties made under the reciprocal
trade program.
Union Buying Makes Jobs
Believe it or not" said Mr.. Orn-
burn, "the buying of union-made and
American-made merchandise is an
important factor in preventing our
sons from being drafted for service
in foreign wars.
81 wish" he continued, that every
mother and father in America fully
realized the vital Importance of this
fact. Furthermore, when we buy
goods from belligerent nations we are
helping them to purchase ammunition
for the atrocious bombing Of innocent
civilians. The best way to boycott
foreign manufactured products is to
buy only American-made goods. By
doing so we reduce the chances of
our being drawn into the controversial
problems of the Old World.
"We also increase our own economic
security and stability. In patronizing
our industries we create jobs for
American workers. When the goods
are union-made we help to maintain
the high labor standards which have
been established in America. | APP
peal to all consumers to demand only
American-made, union label products
every day in the year and l urge you
to buy only Christmas gifts that bear
the union label"
Tariff Protection Asked
Ornburn strongly urged protection
of American labor by imposition of
tariffs equalizing the cost of produc-
ton between foreign-made and Amer
ican-made goods. He said that the
American Federation Of Labor had
long worked for raising of standards
of wages, hours and working condi-
tions in foreign lands.
But" he said, 1--WE will not lower
our standards of wages, hours and
conditions to meet those of unfortu-
nate workers in foreign lands"
"In this connection" he went on to
say, 1--WE believe that, under our sys-
tenn of government, reciprocal trade
agreements should be ratified by the
Congress of the United States. They |
are treaties between nations. Today |
they are negotiated and approved by |
only the executive branch of our gov
ernment. These reciprocal trade |
have not worked to the bene-
fit of American labor, industry or
agriculture"
The speaker declared that buying
of union label merchandise is the only
way to make certain of obtaining
goods Of high quality. He added:
For the first time in the history Of
the American Federation Of Labor
there isn't any personal requirement
and there isn't anything that you need
in your home that does not bear the
union label. Union made goods are
the highest quality of merchandise on
the market. Some of the merchants
who insist in pushing Japanese and
other foreign made merchandise
should be made to sell all of them to