The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-07-11
Fdcing the Fdcts
4 With PHILIP PEARL i

senator 6urton 4. wheeler ID com.
ing dangerously close to forfeiting 10.
boris goodwill and respect. Il he per.
siSts in what Is apparently his pres.
ent intention Of running for President
on third.party ticket with the sup
port Of John L. Lewis, he will thereby
sever friendly relations with the
American Federation Of Labor.
Last February the Executive Coun-
Gil of the American Federation Of La
Dor issued a statement on political
policy which contained this significant
paragraph:
"Any candidate for public office
who seeks and accepts the support of
the C. l. o. and places himself in bond
age to it's leader has received the "kiss
of death" and is doomed to certain
defeat" .' t.:'"
This applies to Senator Wheeler
with full force and effect despite his
long and favorable labor record. If
the Senator lends himself to third
party movement in this time of natl
onal emergency and becomes the
spokesman of the subversive elements
which have rallied themselves around
John L. Lewis, he thereby automatical-
ly cancels every claim to friendship
with the five million loyal, patriotic
members of the American Federation
of Labor. And, unless we miss our
guess, the members of the C. I. o., who
are revolving in increasing numbers
from Lewis political leadership, will
turn thumbs down on Wheeler too.
Everyone Wants Peace
Consider for a moment Senator
Wheeler's recent radio speech in
which he went so far afeld as to de-
nounce President Roosevelt and Wen
dell Willkie, Republican Presidential
nominee, as "interventionists."
In this bitter speech, Senator Wheel
er sought to appropriate the peace
issue for himself and accuse others of
trying to force this country into war.
The American Federation Of Labor
does not believe that President Roose-
velt or Mr.. Willkie have any such in
tentions. Organized labor regards both
these men at patriotic Americans. 1t
looks questioningly at Senator Wheel
er's "peace" slogans and at his "peace"
supporters because of the queer hook
up between him and Lewis and the
equally suspicious alliance between
Lewis and the Communist Party.
We know that the Communist Party
is organizing "Yanks Are Not Com
ing" committees in every part Of the
country. Is Senator Wheeler looking
for support from this quarter? For
his own sake, we would hate to believe
| it.
But what is the purpose of third
party in this campaign and what good
would Senator Wheeler's candidacy on
third-party ticket serve? "~
Why is John l.. Lewis giving Wheel
er his support and why is he jeopar-
dizing the welfare Of c.. 1. o. mem
bers by seeking to involve them in a
third-party movement?
What is behind the scenes of all this
political maneuvering?
We want No Third Party
First, let us examine the Wheeler
Lewis statements on their face. They
say they want peace. So do we all
But do they want peace with Hitler
and Stain? Do they want the United
States to make the same kind of peace
as France made with Germany? Don't
they realize that the totalitariar
forces of Europe are the sworn en-
emies Of American democracy? DE-
they want US to lull ourselves into
false security by prattling of peace
when the hard realities Of the situa
ton show us that sooner or later tht
dictators of Europe intend to attacl
this country with every weapon the!
possess? Is it not the duty Of Amer
ica's leaders to prepare for that day
so that if we are attacked we cal
meet force with greater force? o.
would Wheeler and Lewis rather hav'
America surrender submissively t.
dictatorship?
Secondly, what chance would thirt
party have this year? Do Mr.. Lewis
and Senator Wheeler think they ca,
prey on the timidity, credulity ant
cupidity of enough American voter
to win? Do they think that offers O
fabulous pensions to the aged, promise
of imaginary jobs to the unemployed
and pledges of illusory benefits to tn
Negroes can elect them to office? W.
have said that Lewis believes thi
country is headed for collapse and il
preparing to ride into power as die
tator at the moment of chaos. That i
the dream of his ambitious mind. Blu
does Senator Wheeler share such opin
ions and ambitions We doubt it.
} Then there is only this alternative
: Senator Wheeler may believe he Cal
take enough votes away from tn
Democratic Party to defeat it at tn
) polls. He does not like Presiden
Roosevelt That is obvious. Neithe
, does John l.. Lewis. Between then
they may be planning a flank attac
on the Presidents popularity. 1t ma
even be possible that after Lewis re
cent visit to Philadelphia, certain Re
publican interests may be inclined t
help them, sub rosa.
This NAV be smart politics, but it