The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-10-26
The Cherry Tree
Where We Hdtchet Out
The Truth
. ENROPE'S WAR
. NOT OURS
. CASH AND CARRY
Q DEMOCRACIES FOR PEACE

Before convening Of the American
Federation of Labor convention IN
Cincinnati, The Cherry Tree said that
when organized labor had received the
facts concerning the war situation and
had, through this great parliament OF
labor, had an opportunity for dis
cussion, the decision would indicate
the state of mind of all our people.
Well, now! What did the A. F. of
l.. do?
1t was on record as being against
our participation in this war in any
manner. "It is Europe's war and not
ours," the convention said.
1t revealed the same divided mind
with respect to repeal of the arms
embargo as that manifested by the
public in general. At the same time,
it was emphatically unanimous in
support of the "title and carry or
"cash and carry" or whatever will
best prevent us from being slid into
the war down the creased path of
financial involvement.
But this was also plain, that the
pathy for the democracies. And more
than that, for democracy.
X x x
One of the most clearly expressed
fears of war, either in the form of
actual participation or of gradual in
volvement while preserving nominal
neutrality, was that of frontal at
tacks or insiduous shipping of funda
mental liberties.
Through all the debate ran the
realization that war is the enemy of
individual and political freedom.
Democracies are made for peace.
They function best in peace. A thor
oughly aroused democratic people are
the best fighters of ali but the very
necessity of mutual consultation and
agreement slow down decisions. So,
in the World War, we threw democ-
racy overheard.
We have salvaged most of it since.
But great deal of our political and
social activities have been devoted to
this task and thus diverted from
progress.
So the convention excoriated and
repudiated all moves toward regi-
mentation. War and RECOMMENDATION
are synonymous so this only sharp
ened the determination for peace, and
avoidance of internal dislocations, in
dustrially, socially and politically un-
der the inevitable strain of war, even
across the ocean.
Significantly, very significantly in
deed, in the light of anxiety to defend
the fundamentals of our civilization,
went an undiminished determination
to continue the fight for the legislative
and industrial program of organized
labor, for improvement of existing
legislation, for intensive pursuance of
the highly successful campaign of the
past few years for collective bargain
ing, for shorter hours accompanied by
maintenance of existing wage income
and Improvement in this respect as
rapidly as may be.
X X X
War, it was the feeling, might
artificially and temporarily ameliorate
our one big problem, that of unem-
ployment.
But determination for permanent
remedy is unabated.
And along with this determination
to abandon none of our peacetime OBJ
jectives went realization that, under
the smokescreen of war hysteria,
this fight may become largely a de-
fensive one, for the Fair Labor Stand
ards Act, the Walsh-Healey Act and
the National Labor Relations Act
The Cherry Tree said before that
when labor had spoken officially, the
decision would be an expression of the
attitude of the whole people.
How about it? Check this with your
own opinions and convictions.
Didn't the Cincinnati convention of
the A. f. of l.. say, with united
voice, what you are saying and think
ing?