The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-06-22
Facing the Facts
With PHILIP PEARL

The Roman poet had word for it
when he expressed fear of the Greeks
bearing gifts. Modern mothers have
word for it when they warn their
young daughters against accepting
automobile rides from strangers. Ex-
perience has given all of US a word
for it in the common proverb-always
look a gift horse in the mouth.
Well, organized labor now has a
word for it-a phrase borrowed from
the 1888 election campaign. 1t is
simply this-BEWARE THE KISS
OF DEATH OF THE C. l. o.
The phrase came into being during
the election campaign when Members
Of Congress discovered that endorse
ment by the C. I. o. was virtually a
kiss of death whereas if the c.. I. 0.
blacklisted them they were certain OF
reelection. Every unit in the family
of the American Federation of Labor
should take heed and profit by the ex-
perience of the Congressman.
For today the c. l. O. leaders, hav-
ing failed in their frontal attack on
the American Federation of Labor,
have adopted a new strategy. They
come to US bearing gifts. They hold
out what looks like an olive branch.
They talk peace and unity and cooper
alton. They offer to help some of our
unions in time of strike. They put on
friendly smiles, use honeyed and be-
guiling words.
What They Are After?
Just stop and think. Is it possible
the C. l. o. is out to promote the in
terests Of the A. F. of L.? Or are they
trying to save themselves? Is the C..
I. O. flirting with our unions in a
sincere effort to help them, or to de-
stroy them? Are they offering us a
kiss of love or the kiss of death?
The answer is obvious. Their STRAIT
egy is so crude that one doesn't have
to have more sense than little Red
Riding Hood to see the VOLTS teeth
protruding from the face under grand
mothers nightcap. The VOLTS growl
will be subdued to a gentle purr in
sections of the country where the name
of the C. I. O. is anathema to the pub
lie. They will come to our unions and
say: Lets work together on this or
that" Naturally. Because they know
they can't get anywhere on their own
and they are anxious to gain shelter
from public wrath behind the estab-
lished reputation of the A. F. of L.
Or they will go to one of our To-
Gals which hasn't been troubled much
by C. l. O. competition and hasn't suf-
fered from Labor Board headaches
and say: "Look here, we can do lit
tie business together. You're in a
strike jam. We can help you out. All
we ask is little cooperation. You've
got no beefs against the Labor Board.
Why not pass a resolution opposing
any amendments to the Wagner Act
It's no skin off your nose You should
worry about the leaders in Washing
ton They can't hurt you." And the
next thing you know, the C. l. O. press
and the Communist press are publish
ing scareheads all over the lot trying
to make the public and Congress be-
lieve the A. F. of L. rank and file is
not loyal to it's leaders and is not sup
porting the A. F. Of l.. amendments to
the Wagner Act.
The Longer View
We do not mean to lecture. But
every local and national union within
the A. F. of l.. should always weigh
in the balances any possible temporary
advantage to be gained from trading
with the G.. l. O. as against the dis
astrous effects of such conduct on the
future of the particular organization
and the entire labor movement.
For it should be apparent to work
ing men and women everywhere by
this time that the way of the c. l. O
leads to eventual destruction of or.
ganized labor. AS long as democracy
and justice prevail in this country
just so long will the c. I. O. be doom
ed to failure. For those letters spell
abolition of democracy and voluntar.
ism in organized labor, the principles
upon which the whole movement is
founded and upon which American
freedom rests. Those letters stant
for dictatorship and autocracy, prin
ciples which thrive in totalitariar
states but which will always be hate
full to the liberty-loving American
worker.
So we say-no matter how tempting
the Establishments of the C. l. O. may
sound, no matter how alluring theil
promises may seem, beware the kis:
of death.
The Trend Continues
Welcome to the automobile workers
back home again in the A. F. Of L
after disastrous trip in the rocky
leaking C. l. O. canoe. President Greer
handed President Martin a copy O.
the original charter and all past diff
ferences were forgotten and forgiven
That's the way to make peace. BY wa!
of dispelling the fog, President Mar
tin remarked that the auto worker
never had a serious jurisdictional dis
pute while they were in the A. F. OF L
and only encountered such troubles il
the C. l. o.