The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-12-21
Hitler and His Regime Deadly Foes Of
Organized Labor, Declares M. WoIl
Some Problems Confronting
Labor Discussed BY
A. F. L. Official
MUST LOOK AHEAD
All Americans Should Take
Stock and Know Our
Future Possibilities

Address of Matthew Woll, Vice
President, American Federation of
Labor, and President, AMERICAS
W A G E FARMERS PROTECTIVE
CONFERENCE, under the auspices
Of the West Virginia Federation of
Labor and the Huntington Central
Labor Union, Auditorium, Huntington,
West Virginia, December 14th, 1899.
1t is well that America and Ameri-
cans, every now and then, take stock
and know not alone the worth of our
present possessions, but likewise un-
derstand what are our future posi-
bilities. We have taken stock of Com
munism, Nazism, and Fascism. We
have found all Of these wanting. We
want none of them. We do not wish
any part of them.
! From the very first moment Of the
rise of Hitlerism to power and the
destruction Of the free labor move
ment and of all vestiges of political
and religious freedom in Germany,
the American Federation of Labor
made its stand clear and unequivocal.
We declared from the beginning that
Hitler and his regime were the deadly
foes of organized labor and of free
peoples throughout the world. We
understand clearly that Hitler's tri-
umph in Germany constituted grave
menace to labor and democracy in all
countries. For this reason we called
upon all organized workers in the
United States to join in an economic
boycott on Hitler Germany and to re-
sist uncompromisingly all attempts
/ to force totalitarian ideas upon this
country through the instrumentalities
| of the German-American Bund and
other enemies Of American democracy
planted in this country. Events have
completely vindicated the correctness
| of our position.
Equally clear and unequivocal has
been the stand of the American Fed
Grafton Of Labor on that other species
Of totalitarianism-Red or Communist
Fascism. We have always refused to
recognize in Bolshevik Russia an ally
in the struggle for human emanci-
patton. From the outset we have
branded Communism as an enemy of
freedom and Of everything that or
ganized labor stood for. Today, we
stand vindicated on this question, too.
Animated by their common hatred Of
democracy, Stain and Hitler are
marching together in war of exter-
mination against the free nations.
While we wish no part Of Com
munism or Nazism or Fascism, we do
want democracy and we intend to
safeguard the rights and liberties we
enjoy under democracy. We will not
exchange them for these foreignisms
of tyranny and oppression or die
tatorship. Certainly, not while we
are in our right minds. We want to
go on living in a nation, when as long
as we abide by the laws of our own
making we can act, speak, think and
worship as we please.
Liberty Challenged
| In order to retain what we enjoy
today we must be able to protect our
rights and freedom, our democracy
against any and ali assaults from
within as we'll as from without. That
is the challenge we face today.
To meet this challenge we must
first put and keep our own house in
order. We must determine first to
remain at peace, keep out of foreign
wars and make secure the principles
of justice. To enter a foreign War
is to forfeit at once-our rights and
liberties.
Seemingly, We must attempt to
solve our domestic problems upon the
basis of voluntary cooperation and
not compulsion. No one factor in our
national life can do this. This task
calls for a high order of unselfishness
and cooperative effort by Government,
industry, labor and farmer. We do
not need more laws, more bureaus,
more regulation. What we do need
is better cooperative understanding,
greater team work and less interfer-
ence on the part of the government.
Last, but not least, we need con-
stantly be on the alert to guard and
to protect the fundamental structure
of our government and of our demo-
cratic institutions being undermined.
No political propaganda, inspired, en-
couraged, and financed by a foreign
government or agency should be per-
mitted to function within our midst.
And, every American should examine
carefully statements, announcements,
or appeals in behalf of institutions or
ideals derogatory to the very princi-
Piles upon which our democracy is
founded.
Totalitarianism and free trade
unionism are Incompatible. Where
Continued on Page Three)