The voice of labor., 1940-02-15

There are few corporations
and few families making war
munitions that are getting all the
advantage out OF their sales Of
goods to the belligerent countries.
The average American is not
getting any OF that profit. and
about ten to twelve million Amer
leans are walking the stee;s
looking for jobs while their relief
Is being Cit In appropriations in
Congress and while they look for
ward to tomorrow with increas-
ing despair.
NO WAR PROFITS WANTED
In any event. Americans want
no profit from war. America did
not start this war and every
American dreams of keeping oIt
OF this war. and Americans, II
understand them. will hold strict
ly accountable any politicians or
any statesmen who undertakes TO
involve this country in a war In
Europe or war in the Pacific
So I hope that you will adopt
resolutions when you think II is
time to adopt resolutions on the
question OF peace. or war. or Jobs.
or civil liberties, or any other
question which concerns you as
citizens and as Americans.
Why. think that the President
would understand that II he APP
piled that same rule to the pro-
fessional politicians in the Demo-
cratic party and that II they
continue to talk about anything
that they did not understand he
would lose the next election. And
am not sure that the President
himself would not find his efii-
cheney impaired.
come here today. representing
an organization which is the only
great instrumentality In this
country that does not have pro-
gram for America and for Amer
leans. The Congress Of Industrial
Organizations has legislative
program.
II runs to the question in which
you and every American are in
terested. Unfortunately. Congress
In this session isn't taking very
much notice of II or anything
else.
UNEMPLOYMENT
But. one Of the first OF the sub
stitutes covered In that program
Is that the National No. Prob
lem in America Is still the prob
lem of the 100000 employable
men and women who are without
Jobs in private industry.
In spite OF the most intensive
acceleration Of business activity
during the past few months. and
] quote the huge number OF un-
employed remains undiminiShed.
For three years the Congress o.
Industrial ORGANIZATIONS. through
its leaders. have been petitionine
the Administration here in Wash
ington. including the President of
the United States. TO call a ma
tional congress on the question Of
employment for Americans.
Not a huge town meeting or a
great conference Of the distin-
guished leaders OF industry. f.
nance and labor. government and
any other cross-section Of the
population hold a clinic on this
subject. and to recommend TO the
government and the American
people a sensible course Of pro-
cedure TO be followed and a sem
sible approach to the question
that must be alleviating unem-
ployment and putting America TO
work.
WORK WANTED
The average man must know
that when America goes to work
that every other economic. social
or political question which arises
from that fundamentally wrong
situation will fall into its proper
slot and classification and respond
in reasonable manner to reason
able treatment.
The question of taxation. queS-
tionS of internal income. the
question Of the budget and all Of
the collateral questions which
now confront our people would be
readily capable OF being solved 4
there were jobs for Americans.
Well. why not do something
about II?
] think II is quite true that there
Is no one man in America who
has the answer OF exactly what
to do. / think It is quite true that
n any one man did have the an
swer and would present his plan
to the country that the country
would not accept him because
they would distruSt his motives
and they would not know him or
they would say. Beware of Greeks
bearing gifts"
And when that time comes. II
Is time TO hold family confer
ence on a family problem.
II we are all great happy fam
ny here in our country. as the
President says. why not hold
family conference on that ques-
ton and give to Americans their
right OF participation in the in
ternal economy Of this country
and the right of participation in
the increased productive efficiency
OF our production machine and
a participation in the natural
bountieS which nature and Provj-
dence have given us here on our
own land.
RECALLS MINERS MOVES
That conference has not been
called. ! do not know why. And
we are weary of asking. The
United Mine Workers of America
In their great convention two
weeks ago again adopted the
resolution asking the President of
the United States II he would not
convene such conference and
pave the way for a study of this
problem.
No one else can convene a con-
ference OF sufficient Importance
to deal with this question because
1t would be a self-constituted con-
ference, and as result would
not receive public support to the
degree 1t should.
The country looks to its states
men and to its political leader
atatF1 Na tFfoEA anA