The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-02-08
COMMENT ON WORLD
EVENTS

While the index Of industrial pro-
duction for January was not quite up
to the December level, rural consumer
buying power-the grass roots-is
showing marked improvement. Gov
ernment farm economists expect the
improvement to carry through well
into 1910 and are optimistic about the
entire year, barring unforeseen crop
surpluses due to sudden peace abroad,
which is not looked for in Washington.
Farm income is now twice what it
was in 1929 when it dropped to Az
billion dollars. Through exploitation
of the rural consumer market is being
planned by large industry.
The only dark picture on the farm
horizon is pork and lard. AS the war
continues, Great Britain will eventual
ly have to turn to the United States
for both products in large quantities,
furthering improving rural buying
power. The United States is the only
nation in the world with large avail
able export surplus of lard. Mean
while, Great Britain is buying vege-
table oil substitutes from other neu-
trails, although many neutrals are
turning to us for their domestic oil
needs.
Cotton mill consumption in Great
Britain, France and Italy is at high
levels due to war orders. If British
or French mills are put out of COM
10 h 1on Cf
available workers, U. S. mills now
operating at high levels will feel i'm
mediate demands and need more do
mestic cotton.
X X X
In connection with the Russian at
tack on Finland, the Finnish Social
Democratic Labor Party and the Fin
nish National Trade Union Centre
have issued a joint manifesto in which
the two organizations express their
confidence in the Ryti-Tanner govern
ment and declare that only this gov
ernment, based on the Parliament
which is freely elected by the people,
is competent to speak and act on be-
half of the people in Finland.
The Finnish people and the Finnish
workers want to live in peace and un-
derstanding with all other people, the
manifesto goes on, but, since Finland
has been the victim of an armed at
tack, this small nation, in full aware
ness of it's moral strength and the
business of it's cause, has been COM
PEELED to resort to arms in order to
defend itself against the aggressor.
The Finnish people and the Finnish
workers are however still prepared
for the settlement by peaceful means
and in mutual understanding of all
differences between the two countries.
But as the aggressor does not re-
spect the sincere will for peace of the
Finnish workers, there remains moth
ing for the Finnish workers to do ex-
cept fight with arms in their hands
against violence, and for the self
determination of their country, for
democracy and freedom, the two or
ganizations point out.
The manifesto was the answer OF
the Finnish workers to the claims OF
the fake Knusinen government of the
"Finnish Peoples Republic" set up by
few Communists at the instigatior
}of Communist Russia.
X X x
"The European war is tragic
event that cannot but arouse our sym.
pathy and our pity. But if we found
any business hopes upon it, we shall
only be diverted from our own Amer
ican economic responsibilities. A Euro.
pean war will not build the million
houses that are needed for our low.
income group. Europe cannot solve
our unemployment problem for us
No matter what happens in Europe
we shall still have our problems tc
solve here at home. Mrs. Florence
Kerr, Assistant Commissioner, Work
Projects Administration.