The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-02-13
Facing The Facts
With PHILIP PEARL


lean Federation Of Labor. This news
paper chain is headed by Roy w.
Howard. Its staff includes such anti
labor columnists as Westbrook Peg
Ter and John T. Flynn
Now, at last, we are beginning to
discover some inklings of the truth
behind this mystery. The evidence
comes from stories published in the
last few days in other newspapers.
Under the heading "ROY HOWARD
BRANDED CHIEF OF APPEAS-
ERS," the Philadelphia Record pub
fishes dispatch from it's Washing
ton correspondent, Robert S. Allen,
saying:
"Roy w. Howard, head of the
Scripps-Howard newspaper chain, to-
day was reported to be one Of the
leading under-cover generals of the
appeasement clique directing the fight
against the lend-lease armament bill"
After naming several other alleged
leaders in this movement, the story
continues:
Howard was described as the
master mind of the group, directing
strategy and propaganda by frequent
long distance telephone calls from his
Manhattan Offices"
The story concludes:
According to friends, Howard ia
vors an appeasement policy with a
negotiated peace, because he fears
hot ha
to socialism in Britain and the United
States. He is said to be greatly agi-
tated by the important role that la
Dor leaders are playing in the
Churchill government
The Evidence Accumulates
The day after this story was pub
lished, the New York Post published
disclosures that Roy w. Howard had
attempted unsuccessfuly to bring
pressure on Wendell Willkie to come
out in opposition to the lend-lease bill.
The story said
'"There was an open row in which
the publisher threatened to break
Willkie politically if he gave his ap-
proval to the Administration bill"
The newspaperman writing this
story attempted to obtain a state
ment or explanation from Howard
"Through secretary" he reported,
Howard sent word he would make no
comment"
From a third source, we get another
significant bit Of evidence. Kenneth
G.. Crawford, Washington correspon-
dent for the New York tabloid PM,
published this statement in a dispatch
on Jan. 20:
"Mr. Lewis John l.. Lewis) has re-
Gently been confined by illness to his
home in Alexandria, Va, and is plan
ming Florida vacation to recuper-
ate. Some of his friends, including
Roy w. Howard, the publisher, have
been trying to persuade Mr.. Lewis to
make statement against the Aid-to-
Britain bill, but he has refused to get
into the controversy"
The Inevitable Conclusions
Now let us put all this evidence to-
gether and see what it adds up to-
First, we have the unquestioned fact
that Mr.. Howard is an enemy Of the
American Federation Of Labor, as
shown by the vicious editorial state
ments in his newspapers and the eX-
pressions Of his columniSts. Second
we have the statement that Mr.. How
ard is a "friend" of John l.. Lewis.
Third, we have the disclosure that
Mr. Howard is the master mind" of
the appeasers in this country, un-
denied by him, and, finally, we have
the information that Mr.. Howard is
greatly agitated" by the important
role labor leaders are playing in the
British government.
On the basis of this evidence, isn't
it justifable conclusion that Mr..
HoWard's enmity toward the Ameri
can Federation Of Labor is caused by
the patriotic policies of the American
Federation Of Labor, its support of the
lend-lease bill, its advocacy of an in
vincible defense program and its oppo-
sition to appeasement
Isn't it equally likely that Mr.. How
ards friendship for John l.. Lewis is
caused by the fact that the CIO has
HtNcl olliSiiily tiluOI Scu tlt polNy VI
aid-to-Britain and, in fact, has done
everything possible to oppose and EN-
barrass the defense program?
Finally, isn't it possible that Mr.
Howard is conducting an unrestrained
and vituperatve campaign against
the American Federation Of Labor be-
cause he is getting "greatly agitated"
over the increasingly important role
American Federation Of Labor lead
ers may play in our own govern
ment?
We leave the answers to these ques-
tions to the considered judgment Of
the members of the American Fedora
tion Of Labor and we ask them to bear
these facts in mind in appraisng the
veracity of any statements on labor
appearing in the Scripps- Howard
newspapers.
I FD ~, I I,J