The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-12-07

trade union and cooperative organi-
cations have been broken up or seized
and made to serve Hitler's ends.
According to official Nazi figures,
wages have been reduced by more
than 80 per cent, hours of work have
been increased and the rights of the
workers have been trampled on and
ruthlessly suppressed.
"When Hitler seized power there
were eight million trade unionists in
Germany. Today there is only the
travesty of unionism and it is oper-
ated by Hitler to oppress the work
ers.
"The efforts of the best of the Ger
man people to preserve their liberties
have been met with the headsman's
axe, with concentration camps and
their barbaric tortures, and with
exile. German thought, which made
so many valuable contributions to
world knowledge, has been placed in
chains.
German Trade UniOnism Is Killed
"The German people have given
much to human knowledge in science,
literature, art and philosophy. Now
they dare not express an opinion Of
their own. They dare not form their
own scientific, cultural and social or
ganizations.
"The German trade unionists and
socialists have given many outstand-
ing figures to the International Labor
Movement; now they cannot form a
trade union of their own, they cannot
voice an opinion on the question of
rate of wages and hours and condi-
tions of employment. Everything is
dominated by Hitler's henchmen in
order to maintain his dictatorship.
"The people Of Austria and Czecho-
slovakia have been subjected by the
Nazis to the same ruthless oppres-
sion that they have meted out to the
German people. The same fate is in
store for any other peoples who fall
into their power.
German People Held Blameless For
Hitler's Autocracy
eve do not blame the German peo-
pie for the present catastrophe, and
we have no feeling Of bitterness to-
ward them. We know that the die
tatorship that has plunged Europe
into war is the enemy Of the German
people themselves, as well as the
enemy of the other European peoples
"In helping to stop Nazi aggres-
sion we are helping the German peo-
pie We extend the hand Of friend
ship to the German people and we
pledge ourselves to help them tc
throw off the tyranny that is enslav-
ing them.
Democracy Must BE Preserved
"Our democracy is worth working
for and worth fighting for. We pledge
our support to our comrades of the
trade union movement in Great Britain
and France in their fight against ag'
gression and in the fight for the lib
erty of the peoples Of the world.
"We shall do all in our power tt
support our Government during the
struggle We pledge ourselves to co
operate with the Government in car
rying out the countrys work and We
will do our utmost to maintain pro
ducton at the highest possible level
"We hope that the struggle will b'
mercifully brief, and that reason vii
soon return to the realm Of interna
tional affairs, so that a lasting peace
may quickly come, based on the prin
ciples of justice and democracy. I'm
til then we pledge our whole-hearteC
support to the struggle against ag
gresson and the fight to wipe out the
rule of force in international affairs
owe appeal to the workers of al
countries-we appeal to the workers
of Germany to make common cause
with us--to prosecute to the utmost
this fight against aggression and die
tatorship--this fight for human JUS
tice, liberty, and international broth
erhood.
"A. MclAGAN, President.
"F. CORNWELL, Secretary.