The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-09-11
AF Of L Leader States Labor
Will Defend Freedom
At Any Cost
POINTS TO SPIRIT
Cites Production Records
Broken In Defense
Industries

Grand Rapids, s,Mich.-Addressing
mass meeting Of 10000 here and
nationwide radio audience, President
William Green of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor declared that the free
working men and women who have
built America "will now defend it at
any cost"
81 am proud of their intelligence,
their courage, their patriotism and
/ their record" Mr. Green said of the
FIVE million A. F. of L. members 81
call upon the entire nation to join
me in saluting the loyal army of
workers who are succeeding in max
! ing America the arsenal of demo-
cracy."
Earlier in the day, participating in
a coast-to-coast broadcast with Pres
ident Roosevelt, Ernest Bevin and
other labor leaders, Mr.. Green said:
Speaking for the five million men,
bers Of the American Federation Of
Labor, | assure the American people
that there is no more loyal ard thor
oughly aroused body of men and
women in the nation today We of
| the American Federation of Labor
appreciate the benefits of freedom.
We love our country. We are for the
national defense program 100 per
cent. We do not hesitate and we
never have hesitated to express our
hate Of totalitarianism in all its
| forms.
"Manifesting this spirit, American
| workers in the past year have accom-
plished production miracles. They
have contributed their skill, their
sweat and their creative genius to the
tasks set for them. With willing
hands and high hearts t7es ave
broken all production records. More
than SO per cent Of American Feder-
alton Of labor members have re-
! Trained from striking on defense jobs
| for any cause.
tient, sturdy, unconquerable workers
in munitions factories, in shipyards,
in aircraft plants, and on construction
jobs, now constitute Americans first
line of defense. They do not wear uni
forms, they do not bear arms but they
are fighting their country's battle
. right on the job. They are free men
and they are determined to remain
free. l ask the American people to
recognize and acknowledge their 10y
atty, their constructive accomplish
ments and their unbeatable spirit l
pledge to the American people that
the great, free army of American
workers will never let them down."
In his brief address, delivered be-
fore a huge outdoor audience, Mr..
Green made these chief points:
THAT the willing cooperation Of
labor has made possible the great ad-
vances and progress in the national
defense program.
2-That President Roosevelt has
kept his pledges to the workers and
that, therefore, they follow him glad
ly with full confidence in his policies
and purposes.
3-That at the conclusion of the
war labor representatives at the peace
conferences will demand and obtain
full restoration of trade union rights
for the workers of Europe now under
Hitler's rule.
4-That American labor is taking
the lead in the solution of such grave
problems as lack of defense housing.
the threat of defense unemployment,
rising living costs and the prepara-
ton now of plans to expand peace
production the moment the defense
emergency ends.
5-That nothing would be better
, calculated to promote public confidence
and help the defense program than a
united labor movement in this country.
! Mr. Green reiterated the A. F. of LIS
standing offer to make peace with the
; CIO.
| Mr.. Green concluded:
"We are not losing sight of the fact
that the main problem and the i'm
mediate one is the winning of this
war America already is too deeply
involved in this war-and rightfully
| So to be able to countenance Nazi-
Fascist victory. We cannot afford to
let the enemies of democracy gain
complete conquest of Europe, Asia
and Africa because we know that
; then the Western Hemisphere becomes
!, their next goal. The safety of Amer
l ica, the preservation of our demo-
e. cratic way of life and the progress
: Of the human race depend upon the
r utter defeat of totalitarianism.
1 THAT is why the five million men,
1 bers of the American Federation of
Labor have rallied to the national de.
fense emergency and have accom-.
plished miracles of production. That
| /Tu~, In D11o Tr,nl