The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-10-16
COMMENT ON WORLD
EVENTS

Salutary honesty and frankness
have been injected into the discussion
on American aid to Russia by the
declaration of the American Fedora
ton of Labor Executive Council on
the matter. The council makes no at
tempt to pose as friend or even apollo
gist for Russia; it says it favors aid
solely as a means of defeating Nazi
Germany.
This is in refreshing contrast to re-
newed efforts by American Com
munists and their sympathizers to
convince the United States that
Soviet Russia is a democratic land of
sweetness and light. Even the Presi-
dent was beguiled into some of the
same kind of talk when he attempted
to give the impression that religious
liberty exists under Stain. 1t is stat
ing the facts mildly to say that the
Presidents remarks were unfortunate
and made a bad impression.
The A. F. of L. Council points out
that Stalin's Russia is the enemy of
democracy. Frankly, we cannot
escape the fact that Russia is now
also the enemy of Nazi Germany"
the Council says and adds:
"Our whole defense program is
based upon the threat of aggression
from Nazi Germany. Therefore, if
Russia can defeat Germany or even
delay the Nazi plan of world domi-
nation, America would gain thereby.
Practical considerations consequently
make it expedient that we extend
such assistance as we can to help So
Wet Russia fight the Nazi war ma
chine"
The Council goes on to contend that
aid should be given "for practical
reasons alone, and without the slight
est pretense that the United States
and Soviet Russia are friends or can
be friends"
At the same time, the Council
warns, "our government should guard
against the possibility that closer ties
with Soviet Russia may give her
agents and adherents in this country
wider opportunities to undermine
American democracy from within"
Earlier in the Councils declaration
on Russia aid, included in the annual
report to the Seattle A. F. of L. con-
vention, was reference to something
the Communists here and abroad
would like very much to have forgot
ten. This was the part taken by
Stain in bringing on the war. Be-
fore Hitler's attack on Russia, the
Communists even defended the Nazi-
Russian pact made just before Hitler
invaded Poland; since Hitler's army
crossed the Russian border, they have
kept silent on the 1889 pact. They
don't like to hear it mentioned.
x X X
After recalling that Russia's de-
termined resistance to Hitler has
served to lift the pressure from the
British and their allies and that
Soviet Russia is now fighting to save
her own life and territory, the Coun-
Gil says:
"a different picture might be now
presented if Soviet Russia had allied
herself with Great Britain and the
democracies of the world before she
became an ally of Hitler and joined
with him in the invasion of Poland.
"The Executive Council is apprehen-
sive lest the change in the war pic
ture may give rise to a tendency
among some enthusiasts to clasp the
hand of Soviet Russia as a friend and
ally in the defense of democracy. AL
ready the Communists in this country
are trying to propel America into
close alliance with Soviet Russia. This
is unthinkable. The teachings and
practices Of Communism are just as
noxious and unprincipled as the
teachings and practices of Nazism."