The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-06-20
PRODUCTION FOR NATIONAL DEFENSE

involves our industrial organ
ization. Back of the military defense equip
|ment and continuous supply of munitions are oul
factories and service institutions reaching back tC
our mines and other sources of raw materials
Mobilization and preparedness no longer concerns
Ia part of the nation only but the whole nation di
|rectly and indirectly shares in the program This
fact alone makes unity of purpose and will indis-
|pensable SO that emergency restrictions must be
Imposed on dissenters.
Production for defense purposes requires first
|of all responsible, loyal work force that can be
depended upon to have ready products as needed
THE pledge made by the American Federation of
Labor in the World War for service to our Re
public, whether in peace or in war, still stands
Then we gave our manhood both for enlistment
and for work in factories and today organiZa-
ton is equally ready. Now and then we insist that
our service in war industries must be under cOndi-
|tiOnS which accord with our democratic principles
and which will strengthen the practices of dem
ocratic way of life.
The first of these principles is the right of
representation of choice in key positions
where important decisions are made and action de-
|cided Ca representative of organized labor) This
principle should be applicable all along the line be-
|ginning with the Presidents Cabinet and nclud-
ling the defense production program. Labor should
have adequate representation in the u. S. Employ
|ment Service which becomes chief agency in
shifting our supply of workers from peace to de-
lfenSe production. We realize that the production
program of the proportions recommended by the
President will require skilled workers in excess of
eXisting supply. Our unions offer their experience
in locating skilled workers now in other Occupa-
tions, in working out training retraining pro-
grams necessary to supply emergency numbers of
workers for defense production Such programs
shall be set up under the labor administration of
national defense production and in accord with
standards and safeguards which the unions join
in working out
In defense production there shall be no lower
ing or suspension of labor standards except
through agreements by representative conferences
which shall specify the duration of the suspen-
sion and the substitute provisions. Labor and So
cial legislation conservation policies essential
to the purposes of democracy and cannot be dis
carded without endangering the ultimate objec-
tives of organized society.
We further maintain that when defense pro-
ductlOn IN the futherance of national interests
shifts workers from insured employment to unin-
sured work. social security credits shall be accord
ed the workers as would have occurred under pri-
vate employment. We further demand that cov-
erage under old-age insurance be Immediately ac-
corded to all Wageearners with provisions for vol
untary contributions by Sef-empoyed individuals
and that exemption be reduced as rapidly as pos
sible.
We submit that the procedures and principles
of collective bargaining must be the controlling
practice under which our best services can be
given to production for defense of our free nsttu-
tions No other basis would be appropriate or
make possible in equal degree or quality cooper
ation which is essential to defense production We
ARE wholeheartedly anxious to give the cooperation
for speedy dependable production, and
hence feel the responsibility of making plain the
basis which will make it possible.