Evening star., 1941-09-01
Coils on Labor to Aid
In Stepping Up U. 5.
Arms Production
BY JOHN c. HENRY,
Star Staff Correspondent.

President Roosevelt today rejected
the role of a modern Benedict Ar
mold" urging America and listeners
all over the world to abandon
thoughts of any peace founded on q
compromise with evil itself.
Speaking from his study in the
new Franklin D. Roosevelt Library
on a Labor Day program which was
being rebroadcast by short wave to
the working peoples of all the world
the Chief Executive called for a
supreme and continuing effort to de-
Stroy the forces of insane violence
which have been let loose by Hit
Ter upon this earth"
Warning against the dangerous as
sumption that the German dictator
has been blocked or halted because
of his slower progress of conquest
today than one year ago, the Presl-
dent declared that now is the time
to strike with redoubled force.
Labor Leaders Heard.
"The task of defeating Hitler may
be long and arduous," Mr. Roose-
velt acknowledged. There are a
few appeaserS and Nazi Sympathiz-
ers who say it cannot be done. They
even ask me to negotiate with Hit
ler-to pray for crumbs from his
victorious table. They do. in fact,
ask me to become the modern Ben
edict Arnold and betray all l hold
dear-my devotion to our freedom
to our churcheS-to our country.
This course I have rejected-and
reject it again"
Preceding the President on the
radio were leaders of labor in Brit
ain and the United States, appealing
and pledging that the working peo-
pie of their countries would dedl-
cate themselves without reserve to
the task of perpetuating the dem
ocratic ways Of life.
From London. Ernest BeVln,
Britains Labor Minister, spoke, and
from various points in the United
States the program picked up PreSl-
dent William Green OF the American
Federation Of Labor, Secretary
James B. Carey of the Congress OF
Industrial Organizations, and Asso-
ciate Director Sidney Hillman OF the
Office of Production Management.
Ready to Fight for Rights
But it was the President, recalling
that there has never been mo-
ment in our history when Americans
were not ready to stand up as free
men and fight for their rights" who
put the sharpeSt teeth into this
program of challenge and defiance
as he repeated his conviction that:
u speak the conscience and de-
termination of the American people
when I say that We shall do every
thing in our power to crush Hitler
and his Nazi forces"
Fittingly directing his remarks
particularly to American labor, the
Chief Executive nevertheless en-
phasized the interdependence of all
classifcations of American life
appealing for their unified effort in
this period of trial-and spoke words
which we're calculated to remind the
listening workers OF other nations
that persecution of labor has been
a basic tenet of Nazi-ism.
Americas effort today. he de-
clared, is prompted by the deter
mination to preserve the funda-
mental rights, including those of
labor, which are inherent in the
democratic process and which ARE
threatened by Hitler's violent at
tempt to rule the world"
Not Nation of Warriors.
I'VE are not warlike people" Mr..
Roosevelt said. I'VE have never
sought glory as nation of warriors.
We are not interested in aggression.
We are not intereSted-as the dicta-
tors are-in looting. We do not
covet one square inch of the terri
tory of any other nation"
Instead, he continued, American
devotion to the classic rights and
freedoms of democracy has united
the Nation and enabled it to frus-
trate enemies who believed they
could divide and conquer from
within.
I'VE have already achieved much" +"
he said in commendation. 1T is i'm
perative that we achieve infinitely
more.
I'VE cannot hesitate we cannot
equivocate in the great task before
us. The defense of Americas free
dom must take precedence over
every private aim and over every
private interest.
Forces of insane violence have
been let loose by Hitler on this
earth We must do our full part in
Conquering them. For these forces
may be unleashed on this Nation
as we go about our business of pro-
tecting the proper interests of our
country"
Greater Production Urged.
Thus far. he said, the joint efforts
of all Americans have brought a
Navy and Army gaining in strength,
and an industrial production rate
achieved by cooperative effort of
employers and employees alike
that is moving the weapons of war
ito the battle fronts against Hitler
ism in increasing volume each day"
Even so, he cautioned, these efforts
are not yet enough ana unless we
step up the total of our production
and more greatly safeguard it on its
Journeys to the battleflelds, these
enemies will take heart in pushing
their attack in old fields and new"
There was no amplifcation of this
hint that new or more extensive
American cooperation in trans
(See ROOSEVELT, Page A-4)