Evening star., 1939-09-05
Americas Problems
Neglected for War,
Labor Orators Saw
&. |. O. Chief Bitterly
AssoiIs New Deal;
Green Also Criticizes
BY JOHN C. HENRY.

BY JOHN C. HENRY.
Blunt criticism of the Govern
ment's domestic policies overshad-
owed parallel denunciations of war
and Americas possible participation
in it as the leaders of labor took no
holiday from speechmaking yester-
day.
Speaking by radio from Ogden,
Utah, President John L. Lewis of
the c. I. o. delivered the most out
right attack on the course of things
both here and abroad in virtual
accusation that Europe's war is be-
Ing used as preteX for abandon
ing Americas most pressing domes-
tic problems.
Bitterly critical of the continuing
roll of the unemployed, he warned:
"Privation is taking toll from the
population that cannot forever be
endured. Thoughtless and sadly
executed experimentation will not
always suffice to beguile a suffering
people. The internal debt has al
ready reached such proportions that
1t may never be liquidated by or
thodox methods.
"U. S. Problems Neglected."
I'm the face of the economic deal
In America, many of our statesmen
are more concerned and agitated
over the political quarrels in Eu-
rope. War has always been the de-
vice of the politically despairing and
intellectually sterile statesmen.
Labor in Amrica wants no war
nor any part of war. Labor wants
the right to work and hve-not the
privilege of dying by gunshot or
poison gas to sustain the mental er-
rors of current statesmen.
During the past fortnight, our
country has been subjected to an
overdose of war propaganda. Pat
emily an attempt is being made to
create the illusion that when war
breaks out in Europe, the United
States in some mysterious fashion
will forthwith be involved Such a
concept is, of course, monumental
deception and amounts to a betrayal
of national interest.
The country is being told of the
statesmen and national leaders who
are spending sleepless nights in
worry over the situation in Europe.
In every way, how much better it
would be if the same statesmen
would spend few sleepless nights
in devising a way for oue-fourth
of Americas workers to get a job at
a wage that would keep them alive"
Trade Treaties AsSailed.
Denounclng the administration
reciprocal trade treaty program as
"a delusion and snare" the C. 1.
o. leader urged an almost exclusive
concentration of our commercial
energies in South and Central
America.
Although less pointed, a tone
less critical of administration ex-
periments was discernible likewise
in the address of William Green,
president of the American Fedora
ton of Labor, at Duluth, MINI.
1T must be convincingly evident"
Mr.. Green declared, that the rem
edy for unemployment must be
found within private industry. Only
temporary relief has been supplied
through experimentation with other
remedies"
Suggesting imposition of a 30
hour week as possible solution, the
Federation leader added signifi-
cantly:
This action should be supple
mented with the creation of public
confidence, the elimination of ap-
prehension and fear, the lifting of
tax burdens and the removal of OBJ
stacles which might retard indus
trial progress and the creation of a
state of mind which inspires initia-
tive and adventure"
Miss Perkins Hits Back.
OF war, he spoke even more posi-
lively, as follows:
There must be no European en-
tanglement and no involvement in
European wars. We call upon our
Government to scrupulously avoid
the commission of any overt act, to
maintain strictly neutral attitude
and thus avoid the tragic and un-
happy experiences through which
our people passed during the great
World War"
For its part, the administration
spoke equally critically of the lead
ership of labor as Secretary Per-
kins, reminding labor chiefs of past
favors given, warned them that the
Nation expects competent, honor
able labor leaders to sit down with
each other and negotiate settle
ment of those differences which are
by no means insurmountable when
there is real will to reach an
agreement"
Asserting there is no doubt of the
wishes for peace between the G. I.
o. and the A. F. of L. within their
rank and file, the Secretary added
that perpetuation of the split "is
now distinctly to the disadvantage
of the great body of wage earners
and to the public at large"
Mr.. Lewis made no mention of
the fractional dispute in his ad-
dress, but Mr.. Green repeated pre-
vious charges that responsibility be-
longs to the c. I. o. and that the
Federation is still willing to Tex
plore the possibilities of peace"