The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-11-13

ministered by men in government OF
sound and balanced viewpoint who
have a natural background of expert
ence in the ranks and in the leader
ship of organized labor.
May l at this point pay high
tribute to the members Of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor in my own
state. They have cooperated fully
with our State Labor Conciliator, who
is himself veteran of the American
Federation of Labor. Through that
cooperation and through the confer
ences held in difficult cases before
stoppage occurred, there has not been
a single stoppage of any significance
in this entire year in the American
Federation of Labor unions in Min
nesota. The credit for it goes to the
crafts of your organization and to the
administration of those men who are
officially serving the people of the
state and who have this actual back
ground of experience in your ranks.
American labor should actively CO.
operate in devising, developing and
administering such a policy of gov
ernment. The policy of government
should also be clear and definite
against those abuses of employers
that precipitate strikes. Monopolistic
bottlenecks must be opened up. In
stances where employers seek to take
unfair profit and to take advantage Of
labor should be clearly exposed and
be definitely contrary to government
policy clearly enunciated.
More speed on defense also re-
quires an acceleration of the appren-
tice training and learner programs.
There is need of coordination in this
field, and there is some evidence of it
in the recent committee in which John
Frey has taken such an active part,
that we must have general en-
phasis upon the sound development
and coordination of the apprentice
and learner programs for more speed
in the tremendous programs of de-
fense production in the days ahead.
This policy also requires an i'm
provement on the structure of govern
ment in it's defense organization, to
have clear cut lines of command and
definite fixed executive response.
bility.
This problem reminds me of q
story told to me by one of Dan Tobin's
driver, and he tells me one night as
he handled his job over the road he
came to a curve in the highway and
found car out in the ditch. AS those
men do, he stepped out to be of as
sistance, and he pulled out of the car
two men who seemed to have been
somewhat under the influence OF
something other than the Minnesota
atmosphere. So he pulled them out
and there was tall fellow and a
short fellow, and he Strengthened
them out, and they started to brush
themselves off. The tall fellow said to
the short fellow, What in. the world
was the matter with you? Why didn't
you see that curve and keep on the
|; road ?" The short fellow looked up al
} the tall fellow and said, "Me look out
thought you were driving!"
, In any administrative responsibility
it is important to know who is driv.
ing, to fix the responsibility, so thai
an individual is clearly understood tt
{ be responsible for problems such a:
} priorities and apprentice training ant
: programs of that kind. An individual
| with clnar linns nf ,nn,r,,nI
have the responsibility for carrying OF
defense activities to secure the bes
results. There is a need of an i'm
provement, as you recognize, in thi!
field. American labor is very power
full factor in public opinion and cal
help to bring this about particular,
: because Of the splendid stand it ha
, taken.
, The second major challenge t,
American labor is to continue to max,
; a major contribution to national unit,
of this great nation by the support o
: the established foreign policy of tn
f national government and of the Presi
f dent of the United States in thes
hours of trial and of trouble.
, Your executive committee, follow
= ing through on your fortnight decla
!, rations at New Orleans has said an,
5 has re-emphasized, ave assure tn
President of the wholehearted supper
of the American Federation of Labo
, and all it's members"
, President Green re-emphasized thi
< in an admirable manner in his grea
/ address of yesterday morning which
= was privileged to hear.
: This is a splendid stand, because a
we think through and face the stu
I, alton we recognize that this natiol
: cannot have two foreign policies. Tn
2 administration in power has the re
sponsbility of establishing that for
5 eign policy. Any foreign policy il
these days will involve risks and un
certainties, but these risks and un
certanties will not be half as grea
t as the tragic results if this countr.
, were to be torn from within by dis
, sension and obstruction.
[ The recent barbaric execution o