The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-06-26
Facing The Fac+s
With PHILIP PEARL

IN America. When we say "busi-
Iness," we mean capital and labor and
Government as well.
You don't have to take our word
for it. The President of the United
States has said it. He has proclaimed
an unlimited national emergency.
To anyone who has followed the
course of the war in Europe, it should
be apparent that this emergency will
not last for merely day or month
or year. 1t will be of long dura-
ltion. And it will not mean fun.
We've got to get used to this idea
right now and adjust the course of
our normal lives as quickly as possi-
BILE to emergency condition. Other
wise it will be harder to take in the
future.
AS yet, our country is at peace. We
have that to be grateful for. How
long we will be able to maintain
peace depends upon how direct and
how serious the threat to our safety
las nation becomes. But even while
we are at peace, we are going to have
to learn all over again what it means
to live under wartime conditions. For
that is what the unlimited national
emergency will bring.
This emergency is not our own
making. 1t has been forced upon US.
Our danger comes from the totalitar-
ian dictators of Europe who are fight
ing war for the domination of the
world. This war will not end and our
will not be over until to-
talitarianism is crushed.
We Did Not Wait
Until now the people of our country
have lulled themselves into a false
sense of security. We have shudder-
ed as we read of the bombing of cities
i'm Europe, but at the same time we
have assured ourselves that at can't
happen here"
Now it is up to us to prove that it
can't happen here. We can do this
only by subordinating selfish interests
for the common good and uniting in
real, honest-to goodness all-out ef-
fort to put the national defense pro-
gram over the top.
The American Federation of Labor
did not wait to be told to do it's part.
Months ago it instituted voluntary
no-strike policy on national defense
projects which, as the Executive Coun-
Gil points out, has been 80 per cent
effective.
And now, on the very day after the
Presidents radio address in which he
proclaimed the national emergency,
the Executive Council has gone fur
ther and served warning on the one
per cent minority that future divaga-
tions from the policy of the American
Federation Of Isbor will be met with
strict diciplinary1 measures.
1t is not pleasant for the American
Federation Of Labor to do this. Just
as indulgent parents don't like to keep
constantly telling their children not
to do this and not to do that, the
American Federation of Labor saws
mo" to its affiliated unions reluc-
family and only for their own good.
But there is now no other course.
The safety of the nation demands
that national defense production must
not be obstructed for any reason
whatever. The safety of the nation
means the safety of all of us. 1t is
the prime consideration in any and all
decisions that will have to be made
during this emergency
Let's BE Reasonable
After all, is the American Fedora
ton of Labor calling upon it's affili-
ated unions to make sacrifices that are
too heavy to bear? All the no-strike
policy means is that union organiza-
tons shall give the Government
chance to help them settle disputes
without stopping national defense ma
chinery by strikes.
The Cancellation Service of the De-
partment of Labor has long and
honorable record. It's services have
frequently been of great values to la
Dor organizations. The American
Federation of Labor itself, at it's last
annual convention, paid tribute to this
''o''S "iiii VI CIic IOVcTIlIllSnI.
Then, let us consider the National
Defense Mediation Board. 1t is made
up of representatives of Government,
labor and industry. The American
Federation Of Labor has two repre-
sentatlVcs serving in an official ca
paclty as members of this Board.
They are SecretaryTreasurer George
Meany and Vice President George NJ
Harrison.
Is there any reason why union
which is in difficulty with manage
ment should hesitate to entrust it's
case to these agencies or fear unjust
treatment? If there is, there must
be something wrong with the unions
case.
Ot course, unions which are true to
the interests of their members should