Evening star., 1941-04-15

man beings who worked were slaves,
the personal chattels of their mas
ters, and could be bought and sold.
European dictators are endeavoring
to persuade us that slavery is
more efficient economic institution.
We unlearned that falsehood many
generations ago. And since the
abolition of slavery the economic,
social and political liberties of
American workers have been grad
ually but surely extended. He who
would now begin to curtail those
liberties not only seeks to throw
civilization into reverse, he also
manifests his lack of faith in de-
mocracy.
Worker Rights Extended.
During many recurrent economic
depressions. and particularly during
the long and bitter years of the re-
cent depression, we learned that the
national welfare is inseparably
bound up with the welfare of Ameri
can workers. We learned that eco
nomic peonage or economic slavery
or any other undemocratic form of
economic relations between capital
and labor reacts to the disadvantage
of all of the people. We learned that
the free flow of commerce, the
Soundness of our currency. the SOL
vency of our financial institutions,
the economic strength of agriculture
and every other element in our eco
nomic life depends upon the
economic well-being of American
workers. Out of these great periods
of economic stress the American
people evolved new and vitality i'm
portant rights which were bestowed
upon the workers of America in
order to promote the general well
fare Among others. We established
by law the rights of workers to Or
ganize themselves and bargain COL
lectively, and the right to strike in
order TO win and preserve decent
working conditions. Through the
years these rights have been nodded
into the body of democracy itself. If
we destroy them now. we will there
by and to that extent destroy de-
mocracy itself.
We are now engaged in the most
tremendous program of prepared
ness in the history of the world. 1t
Is a program whose successful con-
summa ton requires the utmost ef-
fort on the part of every class and
every citizen. The purpose OF the
program is to defend democracy. To
destroy democracy is not to defend
it. 1t is said by some that the right
TO strike is interfering with the de-
fense program. But let us examine
that proposition. In his statement
before the Judiciary Committee OF
the House of Representatives, on
February 20. 1941, Sidney Hillman,
associate director general of the
ONCE of Production Management,
stated:
During the life of the defense
program. not only has employment
in American industry increased, but
the actual man-hours of employ
ment have grown at a faster rate
than at any time within this gen.
Grafton. For the first time in
our industrial history. employment
has increased sharply without an
increase in the number of strikes.
In fact, the number of man-days of
idleness by reason of strikes in the
last half of 1910 was 40 per cent less
than in the last half of 1899. y
Less than half as many persons
were involved in strikes during 1910
as in the corresponding period of
emergency in 1916, or the war years
of 1917 and 1918. This is true in
spite of the fact that in the mean
time employment in non-agricul-
tural activities has increased by AZ
per cent The amount of idle
ness caused by strikes In 1910 was
less than one-quarter as great as the
time lost because of industrial acci-
dents. Strikes are the rare ex-
ception in defense industry. This
remarkable record of labor relations
in defense industry is due to the
fact that the defense program has
brought forth special efforts on the
part of organized labor and on the
part of management and Govern
ment to settle labor controversies
without the interruption of work"
Leaders Express Attitude.
The attitude of labor toward the
defense program is well expressed in
statements by the leaders Of the two
great national bodies of American
organized labor. In December, Phil
lip Murray, president of c. I. o.,
said:
The c. I. O., operating construc-
lively, purposes to act reasonably
and logically to avoid strikes"
In January. President Green of
the American Federation of Labor,
said
we recognize the fact that, in q
great emergency such as we are now