The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-09-12
Opposes Drufting
Skilled Workers
I. M. Ornburn Against U. S.
Involvement Ia Foreign
Wur

Washington, D. C. fqLNS).-In a
Labor Day speech strongly emphasiz-
ing benefits Of buying union goods and
services, l. M. Ornburn, secretary
treasurer of the Union Label Trades
Department, American Federation of
Labor, declared that labor is "unalter-
ably opposed" to sending military
forces to foreign lands.
Ornburn said that labor favors
private ownership and operation Of
defense industries a'si 9pcsed taking
of skilled men from industry for mill
tary service. His speech was heard
oyer a coast-to-coast network of the
Columbia Broadcasting Co.
"The American Federation of La
bor," Ornburn said, twill give it's un-
qualified support for total defense of
America, but it is unalterably opposed
to sending our army,mnavy or air
forces to any foreign land"
Shining Example" Urged
"Why not keep our able-bodied men
at home, working at decent wages and
making the products America con-
sumes instead of sending them to
European battlefelds again." the
speaker asked, adding:
america should not become in
volved in the Old World conflicts but
should make our democratic institu-
tions a shining example for the rest
of the world. We must keep the torch
of Liberty aloft and lighted in the
western hemisphere in order that it
will be beacon light for the other
half Of the world"
Private Ownership Favored
Opposing drafting Of skilled work
ers and urging a policy of private
ownership, Ornburn said:
"There is one other point l desire
to make perfectly clear. 1t is that
those skilled craftsmen ard expert
enced technicians in industry, who are
so essential to our defense program,
should remain in their present posi-
tions and not be replaced by inexperi-
enced and unskilled apprentices by
unscrupulous employers who desire to
decrease the wage scales in America.
1t is our understanding that it is the
intention of the new draft law to
exempt essential workers now en-
ployed in industry, but during the last
World War there were many injus-
tees. Men who could have done a
better job making munitions Of war
were sent to the front and those who
were not qualified to work in the
necessary industries replaced the
skilled and experienced workers.
Union Buying Stressed
$50 far as possible the American
Federation of Labor hopes that the
government will follow the policy of
encouraging private industry es-
pecially when it has collective bar
gaining agreements with American
labor unions-rather than take over
the plants and establish government
ownership with the ever-increasing
industrial! dictatorship which grows
under Federal control If we are to
fight the totalitarianism theory of
government we must not establish it
in our own democracy"
In ending his talk, Ornburn said:
In conclusion, l desire to appeal
to all Americans to buy union-made
and American-made products. If you
should like to know how to create
more jobs for American workers; if
you should like to aid in raising wage
levels of all American workers; if
you should like to reduce taxes COL
lected for workers on relief, and if
you should like to assist in establish
ing economic security for America;
then buy union label, union-made pro-
ducts and use union services"